


Shadowhunters Season 4- The Fall of Angels

by SmuttyMalec



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Alliance Rune (Shadowhunter Chronicles), Amnesia, Anal, Anal Sex, Background Simon Lewis/Isabelle Lightwood, Bisexual Simon Lewis, Bottom Alec, Bottom Alec Lightwood, Cockblock Jace Wayland, Conspiracy, Emotional, Emotions, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Immortal Alec Lightwood, M/M, Mortal Magnus Bane, Pansexual Simon Lewis, Parabatai, Parabatai Bond, Plot, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Power Bottom Alec Lightwood, Public Sex, Rimming, Romance, Season/Series 04, Semi-Immortality, Semi-Public Sex, Shower Sex, Smut, Temporary Amnesia, Top Magnus Bane, Warlock Alec Lightwood, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2020-10-26 23:07:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 156,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20750276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmuttyMalec/pseuds/SmuttyMalec
Summary: A mostly Malec focused take on what Season 4 could have been.Fallen Angels have breached our world. War is upon us.Clary's memories may hild the key to winning the war and a revelation about the Angels changes the shadow world foreverAlec and Magnus become joined in a way they never knew was possible.Clary brings with her new powers and knowledge to the fight.Izzy struggles to adjust following a serious injury after an attack on the New York Insitute.Asmodeous returns.Alec takes chargelWar breaks out amongst the Heavens and the Hells and the Apocalypse is here!





	1. Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> Whilst there is plot to this, there will be occasional explicit Malec (and maybe other ships) sprinkled throughout.  
Any scene containing explicit content is labeled so you can skip if you want to just read the plot elements only

**\---Scene 1---**  
_**(smutty/explicit scene)**_  
Alec’s hands were stretched out above his head as he leaned against the wall. His head tilted down as the warm water of the shower cascades through his hair, dripping from his forehead and cheeks, a few dripping down his nose, his eyes were shut and his mouth agape breathing the steam in. His naked body covered in runes and water.

The familiar sound of Alec’s phone ringing in the distance snaps him out of it. “Magnus”, Alec sighs, “Magnus the phone is ringing”. Magnus’s head emerges from the steam, his tongue gliding up Alec’s back along the spine. Alec’s skin already wet and warm from the shower but only with Magnus’s tongue did his skin tingle with sensation. A tingle that radiates through his whole body.

“Magnus”, Alec moans desperately, struggling to find the strength to get Magnus to stop, “Magnus I need to get that, you can eat me later”. At this point Magnus is already at the back of Alec’s neck, soon he starts nibbling at Alec’s ear before whispering gently “I have a better idea, I’m not done with you yet”.

With a flicker of the wrist and a brief but bright blue glow, Magnus goes back into the steam and Alec finds the phone in his hand.

“Ja..Jace, you, what’s up” Alec struggles to maintain his composure as Magnus continues to devour his husband’s ass, Alec loves when Magnus rims him.

With a Jolt Alec stands up straight, his eyes open and he is suddenly alert. Magnus notices and sighs, he knows it is probably something important, yet again Jace is cock-blocking him just like he did when he lived briefly at his loft a couple of years ago. The call ends and Alec storms out the shower so fast Magnus doesn’t get to appreciate the beautiful sight of his husband walking through the apartment naked. It is one of his favourite things, to see Alec casually striding through the apartment with no clothes or shame, and just the sound of his perfectly angelic cock slapping against his thighs as he walks. Alec grabs a towel and dries with such ferocity that Magnus, close behind him, raises both his eye brows as if to silently ask “what’s happening”.

Alec turns and simply says “it’s Clary”

**\---Scene 2---**  
Clary should be screaming, freaking out and calling for help, her face covered in black thick goo, but this somehow seems normal and Clary can’t explain it. Jace paces the alley muttering under his breath “pick up Alec”.

This was turning into one hell of a weird night; the art show had gone so well, she saw this most stunning blond guy leaning against a column in the gallery. He seemed spooked when she approached him. She followed him into the alley; sure that she could remember him from somewhere. He didn’t seem to know her but smiled when she asked if his name was “Jace, right?” He had an intriguing tattoo peaking out on his neck and Clary when to touch it when suddenly something struck them.

A pale grey creature with thick scaly and rough skin, its jaw split open in four directions, appears before Clary. Claws rose towards her and she calls out to Jace “Ravener”. Suddenly a blade pierces its skull from behind and it disintegrates resulting in a spray of black viscous Ichor which covers them both.

Jace cups Clary’s face and asks is she was ok. Clary nods silently as Jace pulls out his phone muttering “pick up Alec”

**\---Scene 3---**  
Izzy tilts her head towards Simon’s head, kissing him gently but nether the less still waking him up. Still drowsy he asks what time it is. They are both lying on Izzy’s bed, the covers all screwed up around them like they had been wrestling with those satin sheets (and won). “its two” Izzy responds, a slight smile on her face as she runs her fingers through Simon’s hair, completely messed up from sleep and sex.  
  
Simon sighs, he should have left by now, although downworlder deputies were integrated a lot into shadow hunters operations, it was still frowned upon for a downworlder to sleep in the institution. Simon also worried how it would look to others given Izzy’s position as head of the institution. 

Izzy thrived as head of the institute but at first she was worried that she would struggle to fill her brother’s shoes. In the short time Alec had been head of the institute, they had killed Valentine, banished the queen of hell, destroyed Edom and killed Johnathan. Alec had been the head through all of that and it was quite a reputation to live up to.

It had been only a few weeks after Alec and Magnus’s honeymoon that Alec was promoted to head of the North Americas Conclave and appointed Izzy as head of the New York Institute. Although daunting she knew that by co-ordinating all the institutes of North America he was never far away- it helped that his husband could portal them in often for social as well as official visits.

When Alec was promoted again to Inquisitor, just 9 months later, Izzy saw that the safety net of having Alec so close to hand was not needed after all. She did however miss the regularity of meeting up with her brother and brother-in-law.

Izzy’s phone rings, “Magnus do you know what time it is here in New York?” Simon can hear the whole conversation due to his vampire hearing but is still perplexed about what is going on.  
  
“Izzy, we need somewhere to meet, it’s can’t be the institute and we need to meet now” Magnus had never sounded so serious, even when it seemed like the world was ending and Edom was spilling into Idris he still joked about traffic being hell.

“There’s always my place?” Simon suggests.

**\---Scene 4---**  
There’s a bang at the door, Magnus and Alec have already portaled in to Simon’s place. Alec peers through the door viewer and sees Jace, he quickly unbolts the door and Jace and Clary dash through.

Jace quickly embraces Alec, his hand holding the back of his neck, sliding his fingers up and holding tightly on to his black hair in a way only his husband, his Parabatai and his mother was allowed to do.

Jace releases Alec and as Alec turns to Clary she immediately gives him a massive hug that was so unexpected it nearly makes Alec loose his balance. Clary nervously retreats away from Alec, as if she has over stepped some boundary, apologising “I’m, sorry, you guys don’t even know me but it just felt like instinct to” and before she could finish her sentence Magnus swoops over and embraces Clary.

After Magnus lets Clary go, admiring her new fringe, he introduces himself. “Well it is a pleasure to meet you, I’m Magnus, and this is my Husband Alec” he beams with pride, he never gets tired of introducing Alec as his Husband.  
  
“Hi Magnus, I’m Biscuit” Clary smiles, before her face drops in confusion as to why she just called herself Biscuit. Before she has a chance to correct herself Magnus simply says “well hello Biscuit, it is a pleasure to meet you” he offers a reassuring smile. Although Clary doesn’t seem concerned she is still, regardless, confused as to why she said it and corrects herself “sorry I meant Clary, no idea where that came from”. “Perhaps a name from a previous life” Magnus smirks.

“listen, this is all making a kind of sense that, well, doesn’t make sense” Clary speech starts to slow and slur and before she knows it she is on the floor.

**\---Scene 5---**  
“Get her on the bed” Alec states the obvious, Jace checks Clary over before noticing the slightest of wounds on her Shoulder blade.

“We were attacked by a Ravener, Venom!” Jace exclaims. He had killed the demon before it was able to launch a full on attack, but when it jumped them, first knocking them down it must have grazed Clary and infected her with just enough venom to eventually lead to her collapse.

Jace whips out his Stele and draws an Iratze rune on Clary. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING” shouts Alec, fearful of the warnings Clary’s letter had mentioned. The Angels took away her sight, her runes and her memories, any interference might have invoked their wrath.

“It’s ok Alec, look” Jace says calmly. Alec looks down and sees the rune is working. Completely puzzled Alec simply asks Jace “How did you know?”

“I didn’t, I just felt it. Alec she is starting to remember, she has the sight again, I, I just knew that she would be able to wield runes once more” Jace pauses “maybe the angels have forgiven us, or our love was more powerful than their spite after all” a glimmer of hope and desperation appears in Jace’s beautifully mismatched eyes.  
  
Alec sighs, “that was risky Jace”, he looks down at Clary resting on Simons bed, “come on she needs rest and Izzy and Simon will be here soon”

**\---Scene 6---**

Clary wakes up in a strange bedroom, but it doesn’t seem strange, somehow oddly familiar. A poster with a Panda playing drums brings a smile to her face but she can’t work out why. She pulls herself off the bed, her legs feel heavy and a small headache has crept in. Feeling a bit disorientated she starts to walk towards the door of the bedroom, hearing talking from the other side but not loud enough to understand.

As the door opens, Clary sees a new set of faces, only they don’t feel new but well known. Next to Alec, Jace and Magnus, Clary see’s a gorgeous woman with long black hair sitting on the chair whilst a pale skinny guy paces the room like he had just killed someone. “Simon!” Clary would have screamed it had she not still felt a little woozy. “Fray, you remember me?” Simon’s eyes light up, “of course, you’re my best friend! But, but, I don’t remember you, how are you my best friend?” Clary again seems so confused as her mouth twitches and her face frowns.

“It’s ok Biscuit” Magnus tilts his body into view, standing behind Alec, “I know this must be disorientating but you lost some of your memories”. Alec mutters in a playful tone “typical Clary”. Magnus shoots him a ‘really husband?’ look, but it’s completely insincere, Magnus is struggling to contain his own smirk at the comment.

“like amnesia?” Clary ponders. “Yes, like amnesia” Magnus smiles.

“Clary, do you…” a moment of hesitation from Izzy, she has never felt this vulnerable, “do you remember me? Do you know who I am”.  
  
Clary stares intently at Izzy, studying her face with great care as if she was looking for the name on her face, and then there is a moment where she smiles, like she has just gotten the answer right in quiz when it had been eluding her for so long and she proudly proclaims “Parabatai!”. It’s an unusual name and Clary has not heard it before, but in the moment she is sure this beautiful woman with a quirky name is someone very dear to her.

Izzy tries to maintain her façade but it drops slightly, she wishes she could just run back into the institute and cry in to her pillow, it’s not really a sensation she has felt before. Clary was meant to be her Parabatai, and had her memories not been taken she would have been. The Clave were strict with the ritual and rites of the Parabatai bond, Clary would now be seen as too old to undergo the ritual. The pain of the loss of the Parabatai she would now never have, it haunted Izzy for the past year. Her eyes betray her smile, and it is obvious to everyone she is holding back tears. Alec and Jace both look down, knowing what Izzy had lost that day a little over a year ago.

“oh.. I’m so sorry, it’s not that is it” Clary says feeling the awkwardness in the room, “It’s just what came to mind, I’m sorry, I guess it’s taking some time for me to remember?” Clary fears she has somehow offended Izzy by forgetting her name.

Izzy pulls Clary in, taking sharps breaths as if she is breaking down, it tells Clary just how much she meant to this woman as she leans into the hug. “you, can call, me Parabatai, if you want Clary” Izzy struggles to get the words out as she smiles in both a blend of overwhelming joy, loss and relief.

“This is Izzy” Simon smiles towards the two women embracing each other so tightly as if they don’t want to loose each other again.

**\---Scene 7---**  
Alec is slightly vacant, worrying about the whole situation, what does this mean? How has Clary got her sight back? Will all her memories come back? Did the Angels forgive them?

Alec is barely paying attention to Simon, who has spent the last 20 minutes talking at such a pace that Jace had joked “don’t you need to breath Simon” before realising how stupid the comment was, Simon didn’t breath he was a vampire after all.

To Clary’s credit, despite the fast pace and disjointed ramblings of Simon, she seems to be taking it in her stride, like it all makes perfect sense to her, even though it shouldn’t.

A knock at the door and Alec goes to check who it is before opening it and revealing Luke. Clary immediately runs to him crying out “Dad” and initiating another of one of tonights many and emotionally charged hugs. Luke glances at the others as if to say “what the fuck is happening” and Jace just nods and answers aloud “we’re right there with you buddy!”

**\---Scene 8---**  
It had been 3 nights since Clary returned to the fold, and everyone is taking turns keeping her company at Simon’s place, except Magnus and Alec who had stayed the whole time. Alec had informed his office manager that he was going to take a week off and visit family back in New York for a little while. He knew it might be suspicious but there wasn’t much in the way of options.

Clary sat on the window ledge, watching the rain patter down the pane. Alec was trying his hardest to cook and Magnus was trying his hardest not to let him, his hands on husbands waist, chin on his shoulder and his breath so close it makes Alec’s skin tingle. Simon was looking through some books Magnus had portaled back from his loft for research, frustrated that he had yet to find something useful.

Clary had most of the information by now, it was still overwhelming and being cooped up wasn’t helping but everyone was worried about her setting out into the world, would the Clave find out? Why was there a demon attack moments after she saw Jace?

Clary was starting to also get frustrated by the lack of memories. It was like she had the knowledge, it all made sense, but she couldn’t remember it, like someone had told her the plot to some ridiculous complicated Telenovela and she knew that is what had happened but doesn’t remember watching it.

Suddenly a fire message glides through the apartment and lands in Alec’s fingers. “It’s Jia” he sighs, “I’m going to have to go back”. Magnus dips his head, he knew there was a risk that the Clave already knew something was up, his husband could be walking into a trap.


	2. Trusting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can Alec trust Jia? Can Jia trust Alec?  
And what do the Clave know of Clary's current circumstances?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter provides some important foundations for the story moving forward where Jia makes some revelations to Alec. 
> 
> There is no smut but I will be posting the next part tomorrow and trust me it is the smuttiest yet!

**\---Scene 1---**  
Alec walked into Jia’s office, closing the door behind him. He was nervous but he never showed it for one moment, he knew he had to play things close to the chest.   
  
In the past Jia had always seemed so detached and down to business, but she had softened over the past year and warmly welcomed Alec into her office. It was a relatively modest office for the Consul, no bigger than Alec’s office had been when he was head of the New York institute. Jia didn’t become Consul for some grandiose title and to be top dog, Jia believed in what she was doing as a service to her people.

“Alec” she warmly exclaimed, “good to see my favourite Inquisitor”. Alec would have rolled his eyes at the joke had it not been for Jia’s position, “I’m the only Inquisitor” he smiled.

“I hear you’ve been in New York visiting family, how are they all?” for such an urgent meeting Jia seems at easy 

“The usual, Izzy’s cooking remains the biggest threat to our numbers and Jace can still take me down in a fight, downside of a desk job I suppose- hard to fit the training in” Alec smiles.

Jia nods, her smile seems somehow less genuine than it should but Alec can’t work out why, “Ah Jace, it must be so hard for him, loosing Clary like that, how is he coping with it?”  
  
Alec’s smile drops ever so slightly, “It’s been nearly a year, I think he is through the worst of it, of course it will never go away completely”

Jia has never really asked about how Jace was doing regarding Clary, at least not since it all initially happened. Alec finds it too coincidental that she has chosen now to ask the question.

Alec demeanour changes, becoming more professional “Jia, is there something you want to tell me? I am the Inquisitor you know, picking up body language is part of the job”

Jia lets out a silent huff as if she had gone to laugh but failed to do so. “Your instincts are not wrong” Jia purses her lips together, she is going back and forth on a decision in her head; does she trust Alec?

**\---Scene 2---**  
Simon walks in, forgetting to knock as he always does. He closes the door behind him and hands out a thick document to Izzy, “today’s reports boss” he grins like an idiot. Izzy usually finds it so endearing but today she is lost in thought.   
  
Is she worried that she had to leave for work today with everything going on with Clary? Alec and Magnus have gone back to Idris early but Luke is with Clary today, she is not alone.

“Izzy?” Simon says softly, voice full of concern for his girlfriend.

“What if we are looking at this the wrong way?” Izzy ponders out loud. “What do you mean Iz?” Simon sits on her desk looking down at Izzy and she leans back in the chair, raises and crosses her legs on the desk.

“We’ve been researching this from an Angelic point of view, trying to work out why they would start to restore Clary? Have they forgiven her, how would we even ask them that?” Izzy looks up to her boyfriend who shifts his smile to one side begging her to continue her line of thought. “We assumed they took her memories and they are slowly giving them back to her, maybe?”  
  
“Yea?” Simon urges Izzy to continue. “What if her memories are there already, suppressed rather than taken?” her eyes dart about as she thinks, “then we would just need to bring them back to the surface”  
  
“It seems too simple, if they were suppressed a warlock would be able to surface them, the Angels would have removed them to prevent that” Simon seems sure, his knowledge of the downworld and of Angels had become infamous at the institute since he took on the role of deputy. With access to the institute’s archives Simon had devoured their books and become engrossed in them. It was like they were a comic book where he just had to know what happens in the next issue, often reading them before bed.

“Yea, it’s simple, but some of that knowledge is there, and it shouldn’t be. How did she know your name, or Jace’s? It is like she knows it but doesn’t remember and that shouldn’t be the case if they removed or destroyed the memories. What if they couldn’t remove them? Maybe something to do with Clary’s pure Angel blood?” Izzy rambles, having picked the habit up somewhat from her boyfriend.

“I mean I guess there is no harm in looking into it, but if they are buried, the Angels are powerful Iz, if they couldn’t remove those memories, they will have buried them as deep as possible and we are going to need a hell of a powerful Warlock to get them out” Simon chuckles for a moment before continuing, “one that has a particular talent for memory spells”

Izzy knows Simon is talking about Magnus but they can’t risk asking him to portal back so soon after leaving, their actions probably look suspicious already, what with Alec and Magnus taking off so suddenly.

**\---Scene 3---**  
Jia pours herself a large scotch, offering one to Alec. Alec politely declines with a subtle shake of the head. “Trust me, you’re going to need it” Jia says, handing him the glass again except this time Alec takes it. Alec takes a sip and Jia downs her glass before refilling it before turning to face Alec.

“We need to have some honest conversations” Jia nods before biting the inside of her mouth.

Alec shifts in his chair and casually asks “what about?”, Jia glances piercing eyes at Alec before he shakes his head and says “Jia, I don’t know what you’re talking about” Alec doesn’t let anything show. Jia huffs and smiles “yes you do, but let’s put that aside for a moment, I’m talking about some honesty from me” she sits on the desk.

“Ok, let’s talk about the Inquisitor role” Alec says bluntly.   
“Not what I had in mind, but ok, what do you want to know” Jia takes another gulp.

Alec simply and calmly saying “why?”, there have been aspects to getting the role that never made sense to him, and if Jia is prepared to be honest he was going to find out.

Jia nods, “You were given the role because you’re a man who believes in Justice, you always have, and you’re great at it, but that’s not the only reason why”  
  
Alec doesn’t move, he just looks into Jia’s eyes, like he is interrogating her, “I would never have gotten that role without your nomination or you convincing so many in the clave to vote me in- I never understood that, you don’t even like me”

Jia recoils somewhat taken aback “you don’t think I like you?”

Alec elaborates, “Jia, we’ve always been professional towards each other but” unable to finish the sentence before starting a new one, “you’ve never liked how I do things, at the New York Institute or the Conclave”

“The Inquisitor role is the judicatory, it’s a non-political role, you uphold the law, you don’t create it” Jia sighs and purses her lips.

“so you need me close and not making trouble” Alec bites his lips in frustration, yes he was good at the job but always felt there was more to it.

“Alec, I like you, and I agree with the changes you brought about, but you’re going too fast” Alec seems unsurprised at that revelation “So you needed me on a leash?”

“No Alec, I needed you to slow down. You’re pushing too much too fast, the downworld cabinet, the deputies? In every institute in the north Americas Alec!”

“It would have included the south Americas, Australia and Indian sub content had I remained head of the conclave; the other heads were starting to get on board with the idea” it was one of Alec’s biggest frustrations, “before you declared that it was a trial scheme taking place in the North American conclave for the next 2 years”

“Were you scared I was gunning for your job?” Alec asks pointedly.

“No” Jia speaks softly but with resolve, “I had hoped you would take the role on after me actually” she pauses, deciding if she should continue, “but others are not so keen. Alec you want sweeping reform. You’re popular, to a fault. Alec lightwood, the man whose institute destroyed Valentine, the queen of hell, Johnathan, you even destroyed Edom! The man who is miraculous and can do no wrong- to some at least. A visionary, who wants to change the world and our relationship with the downworld? And you bent the rules to get there; undercover vampires in clave projects, stealing tech from Alicante to hold the owl, need I go on. Don’t get me wrong, you deliver results! But, more importantly, those characteristics, don’t they remind you of anyone?”

“I’m not valentine Jia” Alec huffed, never being so insulted

“No you’re not! Alec, you are truly not!” Jia says with such sincerity Alec beleives her. “But to some members of the clave it’s the same pattern as before, they see you as radical! We just survived Valentine! And they are scared it will happen again. So I did what needed to be done, I quashed their fear because you are NOT him” Jia refilled the scotch, “I showed them you could enforce the law rather than change it, if you had carried on the way you were, by the time you rose to Consul it would have led to civil war. They wouldn’t accept you or the sweeping reforms you bring, they need time! So I manoeuvred you into a position where you could do that, at least for a few years- where they could learn to trust you. Then! Then, they will accept change Alec”

Alec is stunned, does this mean Jia is actually on his side? He wished she had been upfront with him before, but he knows he might have rejected the offer at the time had she.

“But that’s not what I brought you to talk about” Jia sighed, hoping that by being honest, Alec now trusted her to do the same.

**\---Scene 4---**  
Magnus paced the loft, being back in Alicante had him worried, he wanted to be with Clary but to do so might raise suspicion with Alec being recalled by Jia.

A fire message flutters into the room, it was from Izzy “we are considering the possibility that the Angels suppressed Clary’s memories rather than removing them, do you think they could be brought back to the surface if they had been?”

Magnus pondered, that would explain why Clary had some knowledge and why she could tell that everything they had disclosed to her was true. But it seemed odd the Angels would just not take them away completely. Still their other avenues of research were leading no where and it couldn’t hurt to explore this option. If anyone had a talent for memory spells it was Magnus, he was the one who took her childhood memories away from her to begin with, at least the few pertaining to the shadow world.

He responded straight away, he can’t be seen to be going back to New York, not just yet, but he when he could get back he was going to see what was laying dormant in Clary’s mind.

**\---Scene 5---**  
“So the Inquisitor post is not what you wanted to talk about, why mention it?” Alec asked as Jia paced behind her desk, “Because now is the time for honesty”

It was late at night, and not many were about, still Jia had used a silencing rune around the room before continuing.   
  
“You returned suddenly to New York, and I think Clary is the reason”  
  
“Clary lost her memories, remember? She’s a mundane now” Alec doesn’t hesitate in his response.   
  
“Alec there are, reasons for my suspicions, the timing of other ‘occurrences’. I know this is hard but if something has happened you’re going to need to trust me” Jia stands firm

“I don’t know… exactly” Alec pauses for a moment, asking himself if he is betraying them all, but something is not right and Alec senses it. And if Jia already knew what was happening, they would have been following Clary. If they really wanted her they would have bust the doors down at Simon’s place days ago and taken her. Alec continues “she has the sight again, she can wield runes, and it’s like her memories are coming back to her slowly”

Jia nods “the Angels influence is diminishing”

Alec pulls an inquisitive face, “what do you know Jia?”

“Two weeks ago, the Iron sisters reported that they felt like their connection to the Angels was, strained, more distant, now they struggle to feel a connection at all” looking out the window and taking another sip of the Scotch she continues “and then 6 days ago project 29… worked”. Jia slides a heavy bulky folder across to Alec.

Alec starts flicking through the documents, he notices strange runes he has never seen before, “what is this?”

“Ancient runes, originally 29 of them that we knew of, our research suggests there may have be many more, most of them lost over the millennia, we don’t know what they mean, or what they do”

“Have you tried, you know?” Alec wiggles his finger, mimicking a stele drawing a rune in the air. He knows it is obvious they would have tried.

“For as far back as we can remember. We assumed it was like the Mark of Cain, or maybe physiologically we couldn’t use the, that they required something else we didn’t possess”

“when Clary starting to make runes, we added them to the project, our team tried to recreate the portal rune, with no success, until recently” Jia places her empty glass on the table before sitting down, “when Clary created the necromancy rune, there was, resistance, like the Angels themselves were trying to stop her”

Jia looks at Alec to gauge his reaction but ever stern Alec doesn’t flinch so she continues “one of our project leads had started to have some limited success with the portal rune, but just like Clary with the necromancy rune there was great resistance to it. For weeks it didn’t quite work, the portal would only exist for a fraction of a second, or it would become unstable and collapse in on itself”  
  
Alec stares straight into Jia’s eyes “but it worked 6 days ago”, Jia nodded “there was barely any resistance”

“we were never able to use the runes Clary drew, are you suggesting the Angels have been actively blocking shadowhunters from accessing them?” Alec asks.

Jia takes a sharp breath, “certainly the ones Clary used, and possible the others too, so effectively that we just assumed we couldn’t make those runes”  
  
“And you think this is all connected” Alec says out loud, not needing the confirmation from Jia.  
  
“If our connection to the Angels is weakened… I need you to investigate this, I need it off the books, at least for now” Jia shies away from looking at Alec and he knows why as he dips his head and sighs “because you need someone with a history of bending the rules in case this goes sideways”

“yes” Jia states coldly

Rubbing his head he huffs “Guess I’m back on ‘vacation’ then”. Alec finishes the last of his scotch, guessing Jia was right after all, he was going to need it.  
“one more thing” Jia flips through the document before landing on a page and tapping her finger on it, “recognise this one”  
  
“the rune Clary used to bind us to downworlders when we went to Edom?” Alec shrugs unsure why this is being brought up

“the date” Jia darts her eyes back to the page and Alec notices the notation on the rune “they were studying this rune decades before Clary was born? How is this possible?”

And with that Jia tells Alec the revelation she has kept hidden for a year, “it was one of the original 29. I don’t think Clary was ever inventing new runes, I think she is somehow able to recall ones long lost to us, ones we didn’t even have records of. More importantly, unlike the rest of us, if the angels were stopping us from using them, she somehow had an ability to break past that”


	3. Awakened

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus has plans to restore Clary's memory. Alec wants to ensure Magnus is 'relaxed' first.
> 
> Izzy worries about her's and Simon's relationship.
> 
> This is also my SMUTTIEST chapter yet so enjoy that Malec goodness!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smutty/explicit chapters are labelled so you can skip if it's not your thing.

**\---Scene 1--- **

A swirling portal of orange light appears and Magnus and Alec step through carrying books and a large file tucked under Alec’s arm. A blur of bright red hair pokes out the bedroom door, “finally” proclaims Clary.

Simon sits up from the sofa he is resting on, a scruffy green fabric sofa that doesn’t look that comfortable to sleep on but there are only 2 bedrooms in the apartment so people have been making do.

“Wont the clave be suspicious your back again?” Simon asks, happy but unsure as to why they are back so soon.

“We’ve been given the go ahead by Jia” Alec raises an eyebrow. “and I was given access to alter the wards, discreetly of course, I can now open a portal back and forth without it ever getting recorded on their systems” Magnus beams.

“You guys have the spare bedroom, I’ll take the couch tonight” Simon suggests, it is very late into the night by now.

“We need everyone here in the morning, we’re going to try something to get your memories back, if that is ok with you Clary?” Alec looks at Clary and sees how frustrated she has become the past 5 days now.

“By the angel, yes! Thanks Alec” Clary goes to hug Alec, when they first met Clary was such an annoyance to him, now she was part of the family and hugging Clary even after the year since they hugged at Alec and Magnus’s wedding seemed so natural.

**\---Scene 2---**

**(Smutty/explicit scene)**

Magnus sits at the dresser in his silk robe, pouring through the books. His husband brings his hands to his shoulders. Magnus smiles warmly and turns round to see his husband in just a pair of black low waist boxer briefs. The boxer briefs hugs Alec’s smooth sculptured ass and highlights a large bulge at the front.

“I’ve got to work sweetie” Magnus smiles. Alec spins Magnus chair around, sitting down on his husband, straddling him, he says “Babe, you’ve gone over those books 10 times, you don’t need to go over them again- you need to relax before tomorrow”

"Oh and how is THIS going to relax me?” Magnus chuckled, his hands already grabbing Alec at the waist as Alec involuntarily and only slightly rolls his hips.

“Because you are always relaxed in the afterglow of it all” Alec leans forward to kiss his husband, first on his forehead and then on his lips. Magnus moans and Alec’s lips brush against his, Alec tugs and nips ever so slightly against the warlocks bottom lip. Magnus’s hands move slowly from Alec’s waist up his back, grazing his skin gently with his black polished nails.

Magnus slips his tongue into Alec’s kiss, which is reciprocated by Alec. He slowly runs his nails down Alec’s back before slipping past the elastic band of Alec’s boxer briefs and running his nails in circles on his husband’s ass cheeks.

Alec lets out a low groan “Magnus, urgh, maybe we should use the silencing rune first”.

Magnus pulls back slightly and smiles, “everyone is asleep husband, they can’t hear us” Alec smiles back, looking into those cat eyes, the mark of the man he loves and cherishes so deeply.

“Use the damn rune!” shouts Simon from the other side of the apartment “some of us have vampire hearing remember!”

Both Magnus and Alec laughter catches them off guard and Alec moves off Magnus to grab his stele and draw the rune.

Alec finds it such a chore to get off Magnus, his husband’s hard cock leaking pre-cum through his boxers and robe under Alec’s ass.

Alec loved having his husband’s cock nestled up against him; even if it wasn’t inside him he loved feeling his husband’s hunger for him.

Magnus walked to the bed and flung himself on it while Alec finished drawing the rune before joining him.

“want to finish what you started?” Alec cocked an eyebrow and Magnus smirked, the last 5 days had been a whirlwind of activity and it had interrupted them both during what was meant to be some very pleasant shower sex.

**\---Scene 3--- **

Luke sits, tapping his fingers waiting for Izzy to say something. “You love my mom” Izzy blurts out.

Luke is somewhat confused as to where this is going, why Izzy asked if he could pop by for a quick chat when he had a moment.

“…yes” Luke answers, a puzzled expression on his face.

“You loved Jocelyn too” Izzy is usually not so clumsy with her words.

Luke seems wounded, if all but for a small moment “yes, I did” he chokes slightly.

“They say Nephilim, love only once, and fiercely?” Izzy continues, the words should make it feel like an interrogation but the tone, the way Izzy talks, makes Luke feel like this is something all together different

“They say many things” Luke gives a slight chuckled huff hoping to disarm Izzy, unsure where this is going, “I don’t know about loving only once but we do love fiercely”

"Do you think, do downworlders love more than once? I mean you were a downworlder, you feel in love with Jocelyn and our mother” Izzy continues

“Are you worried about you mom Izzy?” Luke probes Izzy to explain further

“No, no, nothing like that, I know you do, I guess I’m just wondering if downworlders feel differently than Nephilim, and you’ve been both” Izzy gazes down for a moment

“What is this really about Izzy?” Luke sees the discomfort in Izzy’s eyes. “I guess I’m worried about Simon, that maybe he wants, I don’t know, more?”

“Izzy, where is this coming from?” Luke knows Simon, he is loyal, does Izzy think he wants to cheat or is interested in someone else?

“We’ve had some fights recently, about Simon and… men” the penny drops for Luke and now he understands where this is going.

Simon was by no means in the closet but he didn’t broadcast it either. Simon was into guys too but maybe not to the same extent as women. As far as Simon was concerned, a leaning one way or another didn’t invalidate his bisexuality. Simon was open with his family and Clary and Luke knew early on. Izzy continues

“I suggested he might want to try things with other people and he got really upset at that”

“You suggested opening the relationship up? Is that what you want?” Luke asks

“want is a strong word” Izzy chuckles, “I just, I know there are experiences he can’t get with me, what if one day he wants that so much he decides he can’t be with me as well” she sighs, feeling some how inadequate, despite that not being the reality

“You’ve never expressed that kind of sentiment towards Magnus?” Luke points out to Izzy.

“But Magnus is so, experienced, he has been with Men, Women, Seelies, Vampires, I even heard he has been with a Jinn or two” Izzy starts to tap her fingers against her desk “Simon has never had that experience, I worry he will regret he never had that”

“Simon may be less experienced than Magnus, certainly with men” Luke knowing that Simon has never gotten that far with a guy, and for most of his sexual life he only had eyes for Clary, and then Maia came along and not long after Izzy. “But Izzy, he has found someone he loves, you! That doesn’t invalidate his sexuality and it doesn’t make him prone to cheat or crave something else, and neither does the fact he is a Vampire”

Luke reaches out to Izzy placing his palm on the back of her hand to reassure her.

“I guess I just don’t want him, I don’t know, regretting being with me” It’s clear to Luke, and even to Izzy, try as she might to deny it, the real issue is her own self-saboteur, she feels she is not enough. None of Izzy’s relationships have lasted this long at all, this was scary stuff and Izzy was dismissing one fear by replacing it with another, albeit an equally unfounded one.

**\---Scene 4---**

**(Smutty/explicit scene)**

After what felt like a life time of Magnus teasing and preparing Alec with his very talented tongue, Alec had fallen apart but knew what he wanted next, he moaned and sighed and near breathless begged Magnus “please, please Magnus”

“Please what Husband?” Magnus smirked, admiring his husband laid out over the bed, glistening in the slight layer of sweat that had build up on his smooth muscular back.

“Let me know what you want, do you want me to keep using my tongue or do you want warlock dick” Magnus jiggled Alec’s ass with his hands.

Alec whines, “it’s an impossible choice”. Magnus smacks his backside ever so slightly, urging Alec to answer the question. “I want dick” Alec finally relents.

“Thought so” Magnus smiles, flips Alec and sits him up before launching himself on the bed. Magnus lies down beside Alec, his hands behind his head and his 9 inch cock standing perpendicular to his body.

Alec loved his Husband’s throbbing cock, it was long and a decent girth, a beautiful mocha shade and it perfectly fitted him. It felt like satin in his hands and felt amazing in his mouth or his ass.

As much as Magnus enjoyed fucking, Alec was often a demanding bottom, he loved to set the pace. Magnus enjoyed seeing his husband ride him, because he could see every small exquisite look of ecstasy on his face when he did.

Alec hovered over his husband, resting his left hand on Magnus’s chest for balance, and his right hand taking hold of Magnus’s enormous length as he positioned it perfectly at the entrance of his hole.

They both let out a sigh as Magnus’s cock breached the entrance before Alec slowly slid down the length of his shaft until ever inch has disappeared into him.

For a moment Alec wished he could stay like this, the feeling of being completely filled to the brim by his Husband was an indescribable pleasure.

Slowly Alec began to lift himself a little and then move back down, repeating it with ever increasing speed and lifting himself that little bit further each time.

It wasn’t long before they were in a rhythm and Magnus was lifting up to meet Alec’s thrusts down. Magnus’s hard cock running along Alec’s prostate, hit that perfect spot nearly every time.

Alec’s own cock slapped against Magnus’s abs, drooling pre-cum like it always does. His abs was practically soaked and glistening in pre-cum and Magnus loved it. Every slap of Alec’s 8 inch cock splattered the pre-cum, small droplets flying through the air onto Alec’s own body, on the bed, further up Magnus’s chest and occasionally onto his face. Magnus loved when the occasional droplet fell onto his lips, the taste was sweet and delicious.

Alec shifted his left hand behind him and leaned back, his dick drooling so much pre-cum that it was one long string all the way down to Magnus’s abs, glistening in the low light of the room.

Magnus knew Alec was close, he was so tempted to touch his Husband’s hard cock, but he knew that what Alec loved most was to come simply from riding dick so he restrained himself and focused on the thrusts.

With a loud vocal grunt, that would shake the walls had it not been for the silencing rune, Alec reaches his peak. Magnus’s hard cock has hit his prostate once too many times and Alec cums. His balls contract and release visibly with every spurt, for a total of 8 times. Most of his cum over shoots Magnus and hits the headboard behind them (not that unusual for Alec) but plenty still lands of Magnus, copious amounts arranged in thin strings that run from Magnus’s hair, trailing down his face, along his neck and back to his chest that is glistening with all of Alec’s pre-cum.

Alec hadn’t even finished cumming when the tight contractions around Magnus’s length proves to much and with a deep thrust, burying his cock as far as it can go, Magnus unleashes a torrent of seed deep inside his husband.

They stop for a moment before Alec bends down to kiss Magnus, strings of cum transferring from his husband’s face to his own before burying his head into Magnus’s neck and whispering in his ear “Jika aku tahu apa itu cinta, itu Karena kamu”. Magnus smiles the widest smile before responding “Malaikat”. Even though he still occasionally butchered the pronunciation, Magnus loved that his husband had made the effort over the past year to learn his native tongue.

**\---Scene 5--- **

“So how does this work?” Clary asks, eyes darting across the room as Alec, Magnus, Jace, Simon, Izzy and Luke pace the apartment.

“Your artistry is behind compare biscuit” Magnus smiles looking down at the complex and intricate drawing on the floor, this sure brings back memories for Magnus, and he hopes, for Clary too.

"Once the rest of the team arrives, you stand in the centre of the Mandala, the rest of us will form a circle around that. Then we project your memories out into the open, any suppressed memories should be there. What is important is that we find a key memory, something which unlocks the whole lot, normally a significant moment in your life” Magnus shrugs, “then after that it’s a case of turning you off and on” he chuckles, “you’ll need to rest, the newly reactivated memories will find their correct and original neural pathways while you’re sleeping, you’ll be out anywhere between 16 and 36 hours”

“Hell of a nap!” Simon quips

“Why do we need the others?” Clary asks, concerned about new people entering this messed up situation

“It’s going to take a lot of energy and concentration to pull the memories, the more the better, don’t worry, you can trust these people” Magnus places his hands reassuringly on Clary’s shoulder and she relaxes a bit and nods, trusting him

Moments later and Simon opens the door, Maryse, Maia and Bat.

“Thanks for the lift Maryse” Maia warmly thanks her whilst her left hand holds Bat’s, their fingers interlaced. “Anytime”, Maryse smiled.

Luke had to travel a lot with clave business but still chose to base himself in New York where he and Maryse the purchased the whole building her bookshop was based in, converting the floors above into their home.

Luke was no longer a wolf but he was still close to Maia and she navigated the world as an Alpha with her old friend acting as counsel and confident occasionally.

There was always had space at the dinner table for Maia and Bat when they visited Luke and the two women became fast friends.

Before the three of them had a chance to reintroduce themselves to Clary a portal opens and out strolls Catarina, Lorenzo and his boyfriend Andrew.

“Underhill” Alec nods towards Andrew. Magnus and Lorenzo great each other with a warm handshake, they had been adversarial for so long but after the events in Edom had really grown to respect each other.

The irony that Lorenzo had given Magnus such a hard time was not lost on anyone including Lorenzo, he had thought that by dating Alec, Magnus had compromised his position. But here Lorenzo was, the high warlock of Brooklyn, hand in hand with a shadowhunter boyfriend.

Cat meanwhile gives a brief hug to Alec before doing so with Magnus.

After the introductions are done they all set up. Everyone forms a circle around Clary, who is quite nervous by the addition of 6 new people but had been reassured they could be trusted and everyone had been briefed that this could not get back to the clave or the rest of the downworld.

Magnus starts speaking in a language Clary has never heard, and the base of her skull feels it starts to feel ever so slightly warm, like someone had put a heat pack on the back of her neck.

Suddenly, exploding from Clary was a burst of pale yellow tiny lights, each the size of a grain of sand, filling the room, millions of them. It was like seeing a model of a galaxy of stars and to everyone there it seemed so beautiful.

“Ok, so, we are searching for those key memories, they should be orange, shout out if you see one” Magnus tells the room, “there should be 4 maybe 5 key memories”

“There” shouts Maia nodding towards a orange light between her and Bat.

“Everyone, focus on that memory” Magnus instructs the group and everyone focuses intensely and suddenly the memory surrounds everyone, like a holographic illusion, like everyone is living it.

The memory is short; Joyclyn putting Clary to bed, kissing her forehead, Clary couldn’t have been more than 6 years old.

Maryse squeezes Luke’s hand, reassuring him as it brought up the pain of losing her but he is able to bear it knowing he loves and is loved again.

The memory is played out about a quarter of the lights glow brilliantly before retreating into Clary’s head.

They continue with the memories, the group see Clary’s rune ceremony in Idris, being marked with the Angelic power rune. As before many lights glow brilliantly before retreating into Clary.

The third memory was of a day when Alec, Izzy, Simon, Jace and Magnus had gone to the beach. Alec chuckled, one of the few times they were able to get some time together as friends before their phones went off for the next emergency, cutting the day short.

The fourth memory was of Clary asking Izzy to be her Parabatai, Izzy smiled through the silent tears that dripped down her face, seeing how pivotal that memory was to who Clary is as a person. She was so proud of her would be Parabatai.

Lastly a memory which overwhelmed everyone; Jace tearfully tells Clary he loves her, and Clary adds “until the day I die, and after that”. Fire and screams surrounded them, but in that moment that statement had never had such meaning as it did right then.

The memories have all seemed to have retreated back in to Clary, and just as Magnus is about to say job done Underhill queries “hey did we miss one?”

Magnus is confused until Underhill nods towards a small light in the very corner of the room, it seems to be a key memory, but somehow a more brilliant orange than the others.

“I don’t understand, there are no other memories here, how can there be another key memory?” Izzy aks.

Lorenzo and Magnus exchange concerning looks, “Biscuit, I’m just going to reach out to that memory over there, just me, no one else is going to focus on it, just to see what’s going on there”. Clary shrugs “ok”.

Magnus focuses intently on the memory in the corner and a flood of more memories rises to the surface, filling the room, so densely packed everyone can barely see in front of them. It is as though the lights are dancing across the very surface of their eyes, obscuring anything which might be beyond them. Magnus’s nose begins to bleed and suddenly darkness.

**\---Scene 6--- **

Magnus raises his eye lids, they feel so heavy. He feels his husband’s hands holding his own. “Hey, you gave me a bit of a scare there” Alec smiled

“Is Clary ok?” Magnus mutters. Alec hesitates “she’s fine, she’s sleeping, passed out the same time you did I guess but Lorenzo says the spell worked and he can feel the memories restoring” he pauses “before, What was that?” Alec had concern all over his face, but Magnus will still drowsy and only opening his eye lids fleetingly so couldn’t see it.

“There are memories, buried deep inside her, really deep, I don’t think they are hers” Magnus tries to sit up.

“How can they not be hers, and why did the room go berserk?” Alec helps sit Magnus up.

“I don’t know where they came from but they can’t be hers” Magnus sighs “sorry it overwhelmed me, still feeling kind of overwhelmed to be honest”

“Lorenzo said those memories went past even the apartment walls, the entire neighbourhood, maybe more, for a brief moment at least.”

Alec takes a deep breath, “What was that”

Magnus still can’t understand how it is possible but tries his best to explain, “I don’t know where those memories came from, but, Alec there was about billions of years worth of memories hidden in there”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few notes on the Izzy/simon scene  
I wanted Simon to be bi in my stories but I have no intention in enforcing stereotypes that bi people can't be faithful or monogamous. Izzy's fear is to do with the relationship working (which is new to her) but she transfers that fear to Simon's sexuality- but I also wanted her to reach the conclusion that his sexuality doesn't change their relationship at all.


	4. What lies beneath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clary's memories are now restored but what is these other memories buried deep with in?  
Izzy holds a lackluster session of the downworlder cabinet meeting.  
Clary reflects back on her relationship with Simon and with Jace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No Smut in this chapter- it will probably be in chapter 5 if not 6 when I get some more Malec Smut as I am currently building up some foundations that are really needed for where I want to take Malec in this storyline.

**\---Scene 1---**  
Magnus wakes to the sensation of being shaken by his Husband, still exhausted he grumbles “hmmm, there are more enjoyable ways of awaken me dear husband, or have you forgotten?”

A throat clears and Magnus opens his eye. Alec is by his side, having woken him up and Lorenzo is at the door to the bedroom in Simon’s apartment.

“Lorenzo?” he yawns.

“Sorry to interrupt you both, but I wanted to drop this off before the cabinet meeting this morning at the institute” Lorenzo waves a handful of papers. “And I wanted to see how you were doing?”  
  
“What is it” Alec asks nodding his head towards the papers.  
  
“I was able to analysis some of the memories before Clary and Magnus passed out. Catarina was able to do some too. It took me a while to cross compare our notes and consult my library” Lorenzo shakes his head, “it didn’t turn up anything useful, except this” he flips the page and highlights it, full of strings of letters, numbers and symbols and warlock runes- like a complex math formula.

“You’re sure?” Magnus brows shift downwards and Alec shrugs and asks “and for those of us who don’t know what fuck this is?”

Magnus turns to his husband, holds his hand, “Memories have, I guess you could call it a signature? These all come from the same consciousness.”

“There was billions of years worth of memories last night Magnus” Lorenzo states, unsure if Magnus remembers that in the moment.

“And you’re saying this all comes from one consciousness, one being? A being billions of years old?” Alec is stunned

**\---Scene 2---**  
“This is the third meeting they haven’t attended” sighed Izzy, she looks across the table at Meliorn, Lorenzo and Maia. The hall draped in the banners representing each race who sits on the cabinet.

Maia looks at the empty chair belonging to the night children and shrugs “oh….no” she replies sarcastically, slowly and monotonously. After Heidi, Maia cared even less for the vampires than she did before. There was no concern for the current political struggles. First the drama with Camille, then Raphael leaves, and the whole mess that was Heidi, Griffin, Joshua and Elle- the night children were is disarray. The vampires had managed to cobble together something of a coalition governance structure, a leadership of 8 vampires that could never agree on anything of important, including a new leader or even someone to act as a delegate.

“They would probably unite behind the daylighter” offer Meliorn, knowing full well that Simon had no interest in leadership or groupies desperate to learn of his daylighter secret. Besides while many would unite behind him he would still be a controversial figure to a vocal minority, he was a young vampire, who had previously betrayed his clan to release Camille to shadowhunters.

“Maybe it is time to broaden the group?” Offers Lorenzo

“You’re suggesting the cabinet offers 8 seats to the vampires?” Izzy tilts her head

“No I’m suggesting you offer 8 seats to each of us” Lorenzo smiles knowing the response from Izzy at least, “this cabinet needs to adapt to the needs of the downworlders not expect them to fit into our narrow structures”, he continues “the Seelies for example”

Meliorn shakes his head, the political situation with the Seelies was even more dire, following the death of their queen they had broken off into factions, tribes, currently in the middle of a kind of cold war.

“Meliorn doesn’t represent the whole of the Seelie race, just those in new york as agreed in the Seelie inter-tribe cease fire agreement, each Seelie within a geographical area covered by an institute can vote for a representative who must disavow any allegiance to any given tribe” Izzy shuts Lorenzo down but projects a calm considered look demonstrating her resolve whilst also nodding to indicate her respectful disagreement of Lorenzo’s point.

Meliorn continues “I suggest we change subjects, Ms Lightwood, perhaps we could talk about Clary Fairchild”

**\---Scene 3---**

Magnus and Alec are sitting at the breakfast bar, staring lovingly into each others eyes as they enjoy their breakfast, chuckling and talking about random topics of the day.

“Oooo crepes!” exclaims Simon, Alec doesn’t share food and goes to swat away Simon’s hand from the bar before huffing and saying “there’s some more on the side” having already predicted Simon’s actions. Alec sure did miss his loft, where it was just him and Magnus at breakfast.

“And this is why you are my favourite house guest Alec”, before mouthing to Magnus behind Alec’s back “it’s actually you” in appreciation of Magnus who often cleaned the apartment with a few flamboyant waves of his arms and wrists.

“You wouldn’t think he eats this much, as a vampire” Alec chuckles. Simon had trained himself to eat normal food, as long as there was blood involved so he could keep it down. It didn’t sustain him but it made him feel more human, like he had reclaimed something he lost when he died.

Simon opens the fridge and pulls out a squeezy bottle of ketchup, which is not actually ketchup- Alec found that out the hard way one time when they were having hot dogs. Alec hadn’t been looking when he causally squirted some on his hot dog he was too engrossed in whatever Magnus had been saying. Alec had taken a massive bite of his hot dog and instantly was repulsed, spitting it up and dry heaving before grabbing a glass of water. Magnus found the entire incident amusing, quipping to his husband “I haven’t seen you do that in a long time”, “huh?” Alec strained as he continued to cough, “gag!” Magnus chuckled before his husband gave him a death stare. 

Clary walks through the bedroom door into the living area, “how long was I out?”

**\---Scene 4---**  
“We might not have a queen anymore but the bugs and the bees still whisper, to some of us” Meliorn glares at the rest of the cabinet, “and they say that Clary disappeared over a week ago”

“We don’t keep track of mundanes Meliorn” shrugs Izzy

Lorenzo and Maia hide their knowledge well, ‘they should play poker’ thinks Izzy.

“And the bugs and bees just happen to talk to you?” Maia’s tone more pointed than her claws.  
  
“No, they speak to the Aes Sidhe faction” Meliorn shrugs.

“And as someone who has relinquished all factional bias, how did you hear this information” Maia tilts her head towards Meliorn opposite her.

“Amongst screams” Meliorn never takes his eyes off Izzy as he responses to Maia, “has something happened to Clary?”

“The Clave is unaware of disappearance or issues pertaining to Clary Fairchild, perhaps this is an issue for the NYPD?” Izzy retorts

“That’s not an answer” Meliorn smirks, “Is it not?” Izzy’s tone verging on mocking

“We don’t track mundanes, the Clave is unaware” Meliorn sighs but with a smile to his face, “you’ve spent too much time with Seelies” amused that Izzy has not lied once but expertly side stepped the questions put to her.

It is not long before the cabinet comes to a close

**\---Scene 5---**

“Did it take?” asks Simon who in a blur was at Clary’s side.

“Yea it took” Clary looks so rested and thrilled to have the memories back “but it’s weird, it feels like all of it happened just a week ago, every single memory is so, fresh”

“You looked so handsome Alec” Clary grinned so wide she could have been mistaken for the cat from Alice in Wonderland.

“Huh?” where did that come from thought Alec.

“oh, yea, sorry the memories of you and the wedding came to the forefront” Clary nervously laughed

“You did look good that day husband” Magnus smiled before learning and whispering into Alec’s ear, “and that night too”

Simon sighs heavily, “Vampire…hearing”, they were so flirtatious that Simon can’t work out if he is annoyed or he is just jealous that Izzy isn’t there to be flirtatious with him.

“We’ll give you two some space, best friends should catch up” Alec smiles, grabbing his Husband’s hand and yanking him at speed away from the living space and quietly closing the door of the bedroom.

“I’ve missed you Fray!” if Simon’s heart could beat it would have been thumped against his rib cage so hard. He was elated to have his dearest and oldest friend in the world back.

“I can’t believe I went a year with out you and that all those crazy and wonderful memories of you were gone” Clary was so happy to have nearly 2 decades of those memories back.

“It has been a hell of a year I supp…..” Simon pauses before learning his head and moving his eyes away from Clary and towards the wall at the other end of the room. He huffs and progressively getting loud calls out “for heavens sake, use the SILENCING RUNE”. A couple of faint giggles are heard coming from the bedroom before suddenly and abruptly stopping.

“So is every single memory of me in here, didn’t miss any did we?” Simon chuckles

“No, they are all there, but like I said all fresh- it’s weird” Clary holds back from saying any more

Simon gently jumps onto the other end of the sofa Clary is sitting on, sitting on his legs and leaning on his side, “how is it weird”

“Everything is… it’s like it all just recently happened” Clary admits “like I remember the sensation of dating you, breaking your heart, and being friends again like it happened on the same day” she continues more than she should “all the times we had sex happened the same day you died, I mean it feels like it” before stopping before she embarrasses her self even more

“That’s, umm that’s weird!” Simon starts to chuckle, giving Clary permission to do the same at how ridiculously it all was.

Clary fiddles with her hair, the emotions of when they were a couple are so recent to her they almost feel like they still exist, almost. Remembering fondly when they dating but not wanting to recapture it Clary asks “we were a solid couple right?” almost surprised. Back when it happened, Clary felt so guilty, like she had failed Simon, failed the relationship, like they had been a terrible couple because of her. Looking at it now she wonders if that feeling was just because of everything that happened so fast afterwards.

“Oh yea we totally worked as a couple” Simon agreed “but we both worked even better with other people? Maybe?”. Clary smiled, with the memories so fresh there were aspects she was trying to reconcile “yes that’s exactly it!”

Simon and Clary had worked as a couple for sure, had they continued into old age together they would have had a better relationship than most people do. But it didn’t make it the right relationship for each of them and they were both so happy now with Izzy and Jace respectively.

“Shit, Jace!” Clary is suddenly hit by the realisation that he has been without her for a whole year. She knew that was the case when they told her but with her memories, she could understand, feel it, and her heart broke for him.

**\---Scene 6---**

“You never found someone else?” Clary already knew the answer when she had been told by everyone what had happened during the past year but with her memories restored it had meaning now.

“I, I couldn’t” Jace sat next to Clary, leaning against her, her proximity brought back a sense of security and warmth he had not felt for the past year, even when she was back but had yet to regain her memories.

“Simon said you would have wanted me to move on, to find someone else” the tone in his voice spoke more than his words, and Clary immediately understood, there was no one else for him. Even if he wanted to move on he couldn’t.

“He’s not wrong but, by the angel, I feel so wrong for saying this… I’m glad you didn’t” Clary admits. She was torn. On one hand, she wouldn’t have wanted Jace to grow and live and die alone without knowing love again, but it would have broke her heart coming back knowing he was over her and in love with another.

It felt like the most natural thing in the world, to lie down on the sofa, placing his head on her lap as Clary played with his hair. He had spent so much time protecting Clary, but when they were alone and intimate Clary was the one protective of Jace. She had seen past his tough guy persona, the need to be the perfect warrior, when it came to love he was vulnerable, he had never loved like he had loved Clary, never been in a real relationship like she had. And for Jace it was security like he had never known.

With Clary protecting him Jace didn’t need to put all his energy into trying to please, trying to be perfect like he did for Valentine. Even with Maryse he feared if he showed weakness she wouldn’t want to keep him around, it was unfounded of course but throughout his life he thought love was conditional- until Clary.

“You’re not wrong; there is nothing wrong about you, about that, about being glad I didn’t move on” Jace smiled up as Clary bent over and kissed him on his forehead gently. “Every day, every day I prayed to the angels, I prayed our love was strong than their spite”

“I had asked Maryse at Magnus and Alec’s wedding, if the Angels were capable of forgiveness, would they forgive me for what I did? I knew what I was doing, I knew the price, even now I think I would have done the same” Clary sighed and stopped playing with Jace’s hair. She looked down to gauge his reaction, his eyes watering but not yet crying and joy was written over every inch of his face. She continued playing with his hair and with her thoughts, “I hate that you had to walk this world alone for a year, with out companionship and love, but most of all knowing you expected to do it until the day you die”  
  
“You didn’t move on!” Jace purses his lips. Jace had kept tabs on Clary after all.

“It’s not like I didn’t go on dates, I think if I knew what I had lost it would have been impossible to move on too. But every time I tried to get to know a guy, it felt like something was missing” Clary smiles, “but even know, it feels complete somehow, nothing is missing anymore”  
  
Jace reaches out and cups her face with his left hand, and Clary in turn holds his arm in place, “maybe somewhere deep down we both knew we would find each other again.”

“Maybe” Clary ponders.

“So do you think the Angels forgave us? Or did our Love breakthrough all that spite and anger they had?” Jace eye lids start to get heavy as he finds such comfort in being embraced by Clary.

“Forgiveness?...Love?...Both?...Neither?” Clary takes a deep breath, her chest rising with the intake of air, “I don’t know if we will every find the answer, but I’m glad that what ever happened, happened”

Clary wraps her right arm around Jace, as he continues to snuggle into her, his head buried in her lap, laid down and peacefully content and drowsy. They could stay like this for a while, at least until the others arrived back.

**\---Scene 7---**  
“what if it happens like last time” Clary’s eyes dart across the room as Magnus gathers his books and Izzy, Simon, Jace and Alec squeezed onto the hideous green sofa.

“It won’t biscuit,” scratches his fine delicate beard as he potters about making sure he has everything “this time we are not trying to unlock anything, just replay that one memory, just the one” it was why, unlike this time, he didn’t need everyone to pull it off. Magnus had figured this would be the magically equivalent of grazing the knowledge underneath rather than hitting at it.

On the sofa the others complained about being squished. “Budge Izzy” Jace complained. “If you’re want more space sit on Alec’s lap” she huffs before Simon chimes in “there was a time Alec would have been up for that”. Both Jace and Alec turn their heads to Simon, and roll their eyes perfectly in sync. It was said that Parabatai in battle moved together like a synchronised fluid machine, Simon guesses it works for bitchy stares too.

“You two are the two that are dating” Jace rambles. “True” nods Simon, who then proceeds to sit on Izzy lap. They share a giggle and stay in that position, Izzy playing with Simon’s hair as he wraps his arm around his girlfriend.

“Ok, we are good to go” Magnus sits Clary down on the arm chair and pulls one of the kitchen stools to sit opposite her, their shins touching as he closed the gap and started to focus.

A tiny bright orange light emerges from Clary, slowly drifting to Magnus. Magnus holds his hands parallel like he is about to clap or catch a fly in the air as the light moves in position between his palms. Just as quickly as he smacks close his hands he pulls them apart as if to stretch the memory, projecting it across the whole room.

The ceiling replaced by clear blue sky and walls replaced by luscious green trees, the floor full of compacted soil and roots and small ferns but no grass. In the room there are sounds of birds, wind rustling leaves and the foulest sound of a slow crunch, the sensation of it feels like nails on a chalkboard.

Next to Clary stands a projection of Clary as she once was. There is no fringe. She wears a simply blue jacket over a blue top and a pair of jeans which nearly blend into each other. On her neck a small simply gold necklace with a simply gold pendant. Upon Clary’s face her eyebrows dip down and her mouth is agape with a look of sheer unadulterated horror.

At the centre of the room blood has pooled, coming from a steam which leads to where the Clary projection stares in horror. The real Clary stands to her feet, her face white and drained and her voice desperate and full of pain “Ithuriel?”


	5. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group reflect on what they have learnt of Ithuriel's death and what really happened that day, and what it means for the future

**\---Scene 1---**  
  
“Ithuriel?” Clary’s screech piercing to all those in the room. Clary was watching the moment she saw Ithuriel die at the hands of Lillith. But the motion was slow, the sound of Lillith’s claw punching through and cracking bone dragged. Time seemed to progressively slow down until it stopped completely. The sight is gruesome, a blood soaked arm has now emerged from Ithuriel, his heart grasped within the claw. His wings obscure the view of Lillith behind him and his head is tilted back as his mouth is wide open in what would be a harrowing scream. His arm spread and with his hands open, palms facing Clary.

“It froze” Simon goes over to Clary, real Clary not memory Clary, and gives a couple of taps to the side of her head with the palm of his hand. “I’m not a laptop Simon!” grunted Clary, it didn’t hurt but it was annoying. Izzy pulls Simon back by the wrist.

“I don’t understand, I have this memory, I remember this” just as Clary is about to continue a flash of light appears in the room. Light, tinted ever so slightly blue, surround the angel’s arms and direct a beams of light towards Clary. The light surrounds Clary entirely before seemingly disappearing into her body.

The room is replaced with nothing but never ending empty white space. Ithuriel appears unharmed with Clary, past Clary, facing him. Magnus turns to the real Clary, as does the rest of the team, looking for answers. “Don’t look at me I have no fucking clue what is going on either”

“Clary” Ithuriel cups past Clary’s face and smiles down as if a proud father and in that moment there is love, paternal love filling the room.

**\---Scene 2---**

**(explicit/smutty scene)**

“I feel just as confused as before” Alec sighs. “yuu, mfff, sboiling, hmmm, moud” and with a pop Magnus takes Alec’s dick out of his mouth, a trail of saliva stretches from the corner of his mouth to the rock hard 8 inch cock he had just been swallowing. “Can we just, take a break from all that? I wanted to be with my husband but your mind is elsewhere”

“Sorry, am I being terrible” Alec frowns, it had been an intense day and they did need to get away from it and just be with each other.

In response Magnus slides up the bed to meet his husband. Alec is fully naked, lying on top of the gold silk sheets. Magnus decides to join him in his nudity, taking off his boxers that had strained against his erection. Tenderly he kisses Alec on the lips whilst grabbing hold of Alec’s cock, still slick with his saliva, he rubs his thumb in circular motions over the top of the head. Beads of pre-cum flow on to Magnus thumb and he brings it up to his husband’s mouth. 

Alec’s mouth envelopes the thumb and sucks the pre-cum off it, letting it sit on his tongue. As Magnus pulls his thumb out, Alec opens his mouth and displays the tip of his tongue where the pre-cum has collected. Magnus moves his lips to Alec’s and with his own tongue shares in Alec’s sweet pre-cum. “hmmmmm, delicious” Magnus teases.

Alec’s hands wandered down the smooth skin of his husband’s back, tracing over the muscles until he found his way to the silky mounds of Magnus’s perfect ass. A deep moan escapes Magnus’s mouth, “fuck, hmmm Alec”

“My turn” Alec flashes an almost sinister smile as he hooks his arms under Magnus’s thighs. In a swift movement he lifts Magnus up entirely, lining his mouth up to that heavenly 9 inch shaft. Alec is still sitting down on the bed, but Magnus is hanging in the air. Magnus places his hands against the wall above the headboard as he is suspended by his husband.

Magnus looks down to see inch by inch of his length disappear past Alec’s reddened lips, the sensation of a swirling tongue massaging down his cock as it sinks into Alec’s throat.

With utter hunger in his eyes, Alec swings his legs and body, still suspending Magnus, 90 degrees round on the bed. Now sitting on the edge. With his arms still hooked under Magnus’s legs he stands up and Magnus stretches his arms up to touch the ceiling but he can’t quite reach it so places his hands on Alec’s shoulders for stability.

Alec lifts Magnus’s body and then lets it sharply drop several inches. Magnus’s body weight slams his cock down Alec’s throat with force, his large balls swing and grazes Alec’s adams apple. Alec’s nose is buried so deep into Magnus’s pelvis he can’t breathe and lifts Magnus again repeating the process.

After some time, the strain of holding Magnus up takes a bit of a toll but he doesn’t want to admit defeat. Alec moves to the wall and with Magnus’s dick still firmly lodged down his throat, Magnus back slams gently against the wall.

Alec continues to hold Magnus up with his arms under his thighs but now his palms lean against the wall.

Magnus doesn’t want it to end but doesn’t want to wear out his husband just yet; he has more planned for tonight. Magnus moans “oh fuck” and snaps his fingers and a whisp of blue light glows briefly.

Suddenly Magnus is more comfortable, as if lying on his back, Alec smirks slightly, although it is hard to read the smirk with that thick cock stretching his lips. “You always look so pretty with your lips stretched around my cock hus..uh..band!”

Alec felt the weight of his husband vanish, suddenly the hands he had pressed against the wall is now supporting his weight. It is not the first time Magnus has used magic during sex, but this was new, Alec feels how gravity now seems to pull down on the wall as if it was floor.  
  
Pulling off for a second Alec smiles at his husband writhing in pleasure, “wish we could slow down time, the faces you pull babe, the things you say, the noises you make”.

_ “In this place, time, does not flow as it does in your world”_

_“Where are we?” Clary asks- there is nothing but the endless white void. _  
  
“A realm where our spirits can communicate, for what little time left I have” Ithuriel smiles comfortingly.

**\---Scene 3---**  
“You once said that passion makes you dangerous” Izzy stirred her latte, as she had done for several minutes.

Sat in the mundane café, Maryse reaches out and holds her daughters hand stopping her from stiring further, “after everything that has happened over the past few years, if I have learnt anything it is that I know a lot less than I thought I did about the world”.

Izzy smiles briefly. It had become a ritual of theirs, to grab a coffee as mother and daughter at least once a week.

“This isn’t about last week is it?” Maryse asks. They had previously discussed her and Simon’s relationship after Izzy had spoke with Luke. Izzy had caused some arguments over Simon’s bisexuality but Luke and Maryse made her see that she was just running scared of a relationship that was actually working.

“No, no, not that” Izzy pauses, “I had such passion for the work we did, now it feels like a lie, I’m so angry. They hid that from us, what else did they hide? We’ve spent thousands of years fighting for them”

Izzy casts her mind back to the memory of Ithuriel, to find out the angels, had exerted such control over them. They had hidden so many runes from the Nephilim, that the angels sought to block them from accessing them. It explained why no one else but Clary had been able to make portals, or bring down wards.

_“If that’s true, why can’t the rest of the clave, or my friends use them?”_

_“You can call upon runes as your brethren can not, and Jace can activate his runes without his stele because your blood is my blood, the other do not hold dominion over you as they do the rest of the _Nephilim_” Ithuriel responded._

“I understand you feel like so much has been hidden from you” Maryse brings Izzy back down to earth, “but if what Ithuriel said is true, you don’t have the luxury of being mad- it’s not fair but it’s where we are at”.

Izzy feined a smile, the last words Ithuriel would ever say would forever haunt her.

**\---Scene 4---**

“I should have known” Clary sighs. She lies on top of the covers of the bed, staring at the ceiling. Jace’s fingers slide between hers as he turns his head away from her face to look at the ceiling she had found so interesting, “you did”.

“You knew my name when you couldn’t remember me. I know how to make an omelette, but I can’t remember how I learnt to.” Jace inhales deeply, closing his eyes but still wide awake, he squeezes gently Clary’s hand.

“When I ‘created’ runes for sunlight and portals and deactivating mortal instruments it was like I was seeing them in front of me, shimmering in gold, like I was being gifted them”. Clary turns to her side, throwing her right leg over Jace and pulling herself closer towards them.

“I knew it was different when I ‘made’ the necromancy rune and the alliance rune, I had to dig for those, I guess I know why now”, Clary moves her chin and rests it on Jace’s shoulder.

“Alliance rune?” Jace questions. “Well I can’t keep calling it the shadowhunter-downworlder kinda like a parabatai rune but not parabatai rune” she responds.

_Tears stream down Clary’s face, and with a gentle laugh offers a solution, “all the runes I’ve made, can’t I just make one that rewinds time, stops you from… stops ‘this’ from happening?”_

_Ithuriel smiles, his gentle sweet Clary, “if only it was that simple, but you can’t create runes child”. With eyes glazed, Clary doesn’t need to speak to ask Ithuriel what he means, “You can’t create runes, any more than I can; they come from a…higher authority than us”_

_“Raziel?” Clary asks. “No, higher than Angels, we were gifted them by our creator, we gifted them to you- some of them” Ithuriel chuckles slightly, “listen carefully Clary, the others don’t want you to have this knowledge, and once I am gone I can’t reveal them to you any more. That’s why I am leaving you my memories”_

_“Memories that I can’t remember!” Clary sighs, “I won’t even be able to remember this conversation, my last memory of you will be your heart being ripped out” tears continue to stream down Clary’s face. _

_“If I don’t bury them deep enough, the others will find out what I have done. Besides to remember all those memories would drive you mad” Ithuriel continues “but they are there, and I promise, when you need the knowledge contained within you just need to reach deep and they will come to you”_

**\---Scene 5---**

Simon sits on Magnus’s sofa with a glass of blood in his hand, staring off into the view of Allicante. He wishes he could go outside but that wouldn’t be wise. Magnus could now open portals to his loft without the Clave knowing and if Simon were to go outside it would raise questions as to how he got there.

“Will I ever become like that, did you ever become like that?” Simon asks Magnus

“Like what?” Magnus grabs himself a martini. It would be several hours until Alec finished work and came home with some books he had requested from Jia. For the time being they needed to keep up appearances and that meant Alec was back at work. Simon, having fast become an expert of shadowhunter lore and history during his time as a deputy needed those books.

“We’re immortal. Do you ever feel the same as the Angels do? Humans and shadowhunters and even the wolves, they will always be centuries younger than you” Simon ponders.

Magnus raises his eye brows and sits down gently into his chair and takes a sip of his martini, “no, I don’t think of you as children. But I understand there is much you have to learn. I think people often think they know it all, it took me centuries to realise, no one really does”.

_“why, why hide runes from us, why prevent us from activating the runes and make us reliant on the steles” Clary demands to know._

_“Would you let a small child pick up the kitchen knife? Or cross a road by themselves” Ithuriel sighs, “we have lived since before the earth had form, before dust became light, to us, you are so very very young. And you are precious”_

“I hope as the centuries pass, as the millenniums pass, I never become like that” Simon sighs and continues to drink his blood.

**\---Scene 6---**  
“Spend the night?” Clary pleads gently; she looks into Jace’s mismatched eyes praying he will.

“It might raise suspicion at the institute” it should sound like a rejection but Jace knows it is an acknowledgement of a fact, one that will not stop him from being with Clary. The old Jace would have just said he had book club, but the last year he couldn’t be with anyone even if he wanted to, he just wanted Clary.

As Jace lies on the bed, still clothed in all black, Clary mounts him softly. She is teary eyed as she pulls her top off over hear head and reaches down and kisses Jace gently.

“Hey, hey, hey” Jace whispers, “we don’t have to, I waited a year, I can wait longer”.

Clary settles, resting on Jace’s chest, “I’m scared Jace, what if they try to take my memories again to stop me accessing Ithuriel’s? What if tomorrow it’s gone again? I don’t want to miss this, to be with you again.”

“They can’t hurt you anymore, baby, they can’t hurt you” Jace wraps his arm around Clary, repeating the same line over and over again. He knows that with the Angels diminished connection to the Nephilim, they don’t have the power to suppress her memories anymore.

_“What happens if the others find out _ _Ithuriel?” Clary pushes Ithuriel on the subject, he had already said he needed to bury the memories so the Angels wouldn’t find them. _

_“I’m hoping any knowledge or runes you access, they will think I gave to you before I died” he says sombrely, “if they ever discovered what I have done, they will try to find a way to block your access to the knowledge I am giving you. I’ve put protections in place to try and stop them from removing it but I don’t know if it will hold or if they will find another solution- you will have to be careful with the runes and knowledge you access” _

_Ithuriel sighs, he sense his impending death is moments away “there is not enough time to get you even a fraction of my memories, I just have to hope I’ve given you enough for what is coming”. Clary hugs Ithuriel and holds him tight, she feels he will slip away soon. _

**\---Scene 7---**  
“woah, slow down” Magnus chuckles. Alec releases Magnus’s right nipple from his mouth before continuing to kiss down his chest and abdomen at pace, his left hand holding Magnus’s shirt up while his right hand explores.

“Alec, Alec, what’s the rush husband” Magnus runs his hands through Alec’s hair. Alec stays crouched against a standing Magnus, and buries his face into Magnus’s tummy and sighs.

“You’re scared” Magnus looks down and see’s it is Alecs hazel eyes, it isn’t a question he is asking.

Magnus crouches down to Alec’s level and kisses him softly, “hey, the doesn’t mean the end of the world, and if it does, it’s not happening tonight”

Magnus holds his husband, both of them still crouched.

_“Why gift me this, this knowledge _ _Ithuriel?” Clary’s face buried in the angels shoulder but still he hears her perfectly. _

_“We don’t have the luxury of coddling the young anymore”, Ithuriel’s chin rests on Clarys head. “And I don’t know how long they can continue to exert influence over this realm and the Nephilim”_

_Clary looks up, puzzled. Ithuriel tilts down and replies “Clary, the Angels battled evil, as the Nephilim do, just on higher planes of existence”, Ithuriel tone turns flat, and he starkly warns “but we are losing this war”._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this one took some time to write and at one point I rewrote it competly because I found that it was one long scene of just Ithuriel and Clary talking. I hope this makes it more intresting.


	6. Husbands Bound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2 months after Clary's memories have been returned and a covert task force of shadowhunters and downworlders explore the rise in demon attacks and the mystery of the Angels. 
> 
> Alec and Magnus agree to embark on a dangerous mission but something far more dangerous is about to befall them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bringing most of the plot back to Alec and Magnus.  
Explicit/Smutty scenes are labelled so you can skip if thats not your thing.  
We are now starting the main Malec plotline that I have been planning for season 4

_Ithuriel tone turns flat, and he starkly warns “but we are losing this war”._

\---2 months later---

**\---Scene 1---**

Jia power walks through the corridors and Alec maintains her pace. “Who do we have next on the recruitment list?” she asks. “Lexi Riverscar” Alec responds.

“Head of the South East Asian Enclave" Jia confirms

“She was a good ally when I headed up the north America’s Conclave, I think she'll get on board."

“you said that about the last one" Jia smirks at him and Alec flushes with the slightest tinge of embarrassment; he hated to be wrong.

Alec clears his throat slightly “I do also want to talk to you about Clary"

“Oh?” Jia raises her eyebrows as she continues in her stride, not that Alec could see that. “I'm worried she might be exerting herself too much" Alec huffs.

“She hasn't indicated any problems with me, if anything we could do with her speeding up."

Alec sighs “she’s given us 16 rediscovered runes in the space of 2 months!”

“Yes, the heat up popcorn rune is sure to be the tipping point in our fight against the forces of darkness" quips Jia.

“It’s a radiation rune! With the right practise it has applications amongst the medics for instance, rune based x-rays and all."

“The frustrating part is that we don’t know what timescale we are working to here, still I’ll speak to Clary if you’re worried” Jia places her hand on Alec’s shoulder as they reach their destination.

Jia places her hand on the railing of the balcony and turns her head to look out over the vast industrial warehouse. In the centre of the room 50 shadowhunters are practising with Jace on how to activate runes without a stele. Along the edges lie various computer and research stations and the walls are lined with doors to labs and smaller training spaces; partitioned with glass walls.

In one training space Simon and 2 other vampires are teaching 3 shadowhunters how to handle their new and temporary abilities courtesy of the alliance rune they are currently wearing.

Alec chuckles to Jia as they overlook the efforts “who would have thought we’d be leading a covert task force 3 months ago?"

Magnus walks up to join them and kisses his Alec with a gentle press of the lips, “how’s my Husband". Jia answers for Alec, “busy". She flashes a smirk that betrays the serious answer she gave for the amused one she is really feeling.

“Alec, start prepping for Lexi’s extraction. Magnus try not to keep him distracted for too long" Jia walks off with a smile.

“So how is Raphael?” Alec inquires. Magnus visits him at the seminary every 3 or so weeks. There was a twinge of sadness and elated happiness that Magnus held for Raphael. Magnus was thrilled Raphael could live the life he dreamed of, but sad that like so many other cherished ones, he would pass away and become a memory. Normally Magnus could cope with that, which was just the deal of life as a warlock. Except with Raphael he was originally immortal, he had expected him to be there for many centuries yet.

“He is good. He sends his love to his step father" Magnus teases Alec holding his face in his hand. Magnus had practically raised the young vampire and Raphael found some humour in the use of that particular nickname.

Alec backs away ever so slightly “hey I though you two were gonna drop the whole step father teasing thing, he is over 60 years older than me!”

They kiss again, deeply and slowly, and for a moment the craziness of everything melts away. Alec sighs “see you tonight?” as he brings Magnus hand up and kisses the back of them whilst holding them in his own. Magnus chokes out a yes before reluctantly letting Alec go to get on with work.

As Alec starts to walk away Magnus calls “you doing dinner tonight?”. Even though he can conjure a delicious meal, Magnus loved how into cooking Alec had gotten.

Alec continues to walk but backwards to respond “Yup! Leberkäse, found a recipe in one of moms old German cookbooks" Alec smiles, “and after you took me to Oktoberfest the other month, I guess I fancied German sausage"

“Huh! Normally you go for Indonesian Sausage" Magnus quips loud enough a few nearby shadowhunters look over.

Alec blushes a brilliant shade of pink before tripping on the floor.

Magnus carries on walking in his own direction, a wide smile on his face and laughs quietly to himself “still got it".

**\---Scene 2---**

In a dark bedroom Lexi is deep in sleep at the Singapore institute. Lexi often jokes she is what Alec would look like had he been a woman, she was tall, dark short hair, very well built and had a large Angelic power rune on her neck.

The corner of the room illuminates slightly with the formation of a portal.

2 shadowy figures covered in head to toe in black attire appear silently from the portal. Immediately one of them draws a silencing rune on the walls.

Lexi starts to wake up from the light of the portal and freaks out. Placing herself in the corner of the room, screaming and throwing books at the intruders.

Alec suddenly appears out of the portal and quickly assesses the room. He gives a glare to the two shadowhunters in black before going over to Lexi and attempting to calm her down. “Lexi it's ok, it’s me, its Alec"

“What the fuck is going on!” Lexi’s eyes dart across the room before screaming for help.

“They can’t hear you Lexi" Alec calmly says, “I’m sorry we scared you but this is necessary”.

“Necessary for what?!” Lexi glares down Alec.

“I need to take you to Jia, I’ll explain everything" Alec tries to reassure Lexi. Lexi doesn’t feel assured but she doesn’t feel she has much choice either.

“What kind of warlock do you have that can portal past my wards without a single alarm?”

Alec smirks, takes Lexi by the hand and draws the portal rune in the air before disappearing.

The taller of the two shadowhunters in black shakes his head at the other, “I told you to draw the sleep rune while I silenced the room" before stepping through the portal which closes after him.

The last remaining shadowhunter climbs into the bed, his eyes glow golden and suddenly his black shadowy form shifts into that of Lexi “I told you wah wah wah wah sleep rune" he mimics in a high pitch voice.

**\---Scene 3---**

“Alec I think you need to tell me what the fuck is going on" Lexi spits.

“This way" Alec leads Lexi into a plain room. The walls and ceiling and floor are all a shade of muted grey. Inside there is a silent brother, Jia, 2 guards and on a stand in the centre of the room on display is the soul sword.

“Lexi, good to see you. I’m sure this is all very confusing but I promise we will explain what’s happening” Jia ushers Lexi to the centre of the room.

“Don’t worry, we all had to do this" Alec tries to reassure her as Lexi is moved towards the soul sword.

Jia places her hand on the soul sword and calmly says “you will not be harmed". Although Lexi is very concerned and anxious she also knows Jia can't lie in that moment.

“I'm going to explain what's been going on", Jia continues to hold the sword “and then it will be your turn.

Jia explains everything, from the loss of contact from the Angels, to Clary’s return, to Ithuriel’s gift, to the increase in demonic activity and attacks and the formation of the covert strike force.

Jia removes her hand and places Lexi's on the sword. “Your turn"

“I don’t know what you want me to say" Lexi struggles to process everything she has been told.

Jia performs an interrogation, asking about what Lexi thinks of the situation, of the strike team, and if she believes it is right to keep this all hidden for the time being. Lexi is stunned but understands the wide spread panic the Clave would have if they all found out that the Angels are losing the war and now seem to be out of contact with the Nephilim entirely. Lexi agrees to support Jia’s actions.

“What would have happened had I not agreed to this?” Lexi asks

“We would have used a rune Clary rediscovered. It allows us to wipe out the last couple of hours from your memory. Then we would have return you to your room in Singapore and you would have never known about this conversation” Jia remarks as she leaves the room.

They won’t harm others but they need to know they can trust them before letting people get involved in their operation.

**\---Scene 4---**

“Alec's worried about you" Jia’s voice brings Clary back to reality. She’s surrounded by books at a desk in one of the offices.

“Oh, hi Jia. What’s Alec worried about?” Clary ties her hair back, and turns to warmly great Jia.

“He thinks you’re pushing yourself too hard"

“And you?” Clary still remembers Jia sentencing her to death. Jia may have changed in many ways but there is still a harsh streak there.

“I have no problem with you being pushed, we need answers and we don’t know why demon attacks are increasing", Jia nods, “but I’m not going to push you to breaking point either- you're too valuable"

Clary wants to be annoyed at that but she understands Jia’s motives. Jia does care about Clary but her duty takes precedence, right now Clary is something they can use to work out what the hell is going on.

**\---Scene 5---**

“Boop boop" Jace smirks. Simon is on his knees defeated but amused, “I'm gonna get you one of these days". Jace offers Simon his arm and pulls him to his feet. They both go to the bench at the side of the training room and grab their bottles of water.

“I missed this" Simon splutters. “I miss our trekkie nights" Jace smiles, “but as always, you tell ANYONE and you’re dead...er".

The two had grown quite close the past year, with Alec head of the conclave and then inquisitor Jace no longer had his Parabatai around him 24/7 and Simon had lost his best friend, Clary.

“With everything that’s going on here, it’s like there's no time for me and Clary" Jace sighs.

“Same! Izzy still has to maintain her visibility as head of the New York institute, thank god she can portal here when she can"

**\----Scene 6---**

“So Lexi is on board, huh?” Jace glances at Alec who nods “She’s back at Singapore, our eyes and ears over there".

“If we carry on recruiting like we have there’ll be more people in this conspiracy than out of it" Jace laughs, Alec remains professional and doesn’t respond but Jace can feel through their bond that it tickled him.

Alec and Jace walk over to Jia and Magnus who are talking at one of the computer stations that dotting around the main operation centre.

“Recognise this?” Magnus beams shaking a small plastic bag half the size of his thumb.

“I was holding it for a friend?” Jace retorts.

“His sense of humour has really come back since Clary, hasn’t it" Magnus raises his eye brow before turning to His husband and giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

Alec takes hold of the bag and brings it up to his eyes and sighs. Turning to Jace Alec simply says “sand".

Jace hasn’t clicked yet so Alec goes on, “like with Azazel right?” Magnus nods, “this comes from Dudael".

“With Edom gone it is likely the many demons have relocated to Dudael, it’s one of the worst hell dimensions" Jia sighs “we need to know how they are getting through to our world so easily without being summoned and I think the answers are in Dudael itself".

“No shadowhunter could go there, the air is toxic" Alec shakes his head before looking at Magnus and seeing a familiar guilty look. Magnus can’t hide much from his Husband. “You didn’t!”

“Alexander, it is just a reconnaissance mission” Magnus places his hand on his Husband’s waist, pleading silently for him not to make a fuss.

Alec knows Magnus can’t be reasoned with so he does the only thing he can do, with an equal amount of resolve “I'm going too!"

“Alec no, you can’t!” Jace begs, Magnus simply pleads “think this through sweetie”, Jia tries to forbid it “you’re the inquisitor it’s not happening!"

“We have the alliance rune, it’s happening, it’s done, don’t any of you dare stop me” he glares at all of them.

“Alec…” Jia is cut off by Alec hold his hand up, “Jia if my husband is going to Dudael I'm going with him, end of discussion" Jia knows there is no reasoning with him and Alec is too important right now; people have joined this fight because of Alec not Jia.

Sighing Jia purses her lips and says “you both leave tomorrow, take the rest of the day off- you could use the break" smiling flatly she places her hand affectionately on Alec’s shoulder and walks off.

**\---Scene 7---**

**(Explicit/smutty)**

Alec’s hand grips the balcony rail, the early morning air gently brushes his skin but the rising sun warms him. He looks out over Alicante; people are on the streets below oblivious to his actions.

Alec feels the gentle caress of Magnus’s hand as it wrapped around his bare chest. Within moments the wandering hand slowly trails down, tracing his pectoral muscles, then his abdomen. As Magnus progresses towards the V line it Alec tingles and he shudders. Finally the hand nears its destination eager to grab hold of Alec’s throbbing 8 inch cock currently swinging in sync with Magnus pounding. Beads of pre-cum stretch from the tip as Alec’s cock swings before finally breaking off and joining the copious amounts of other droplets splashed across the balcony floor.

“Oh fuck" Alec moans, a vision of stunning beauty, bent over the railings will not an item of clothing on him. It’s a powerful glamour that Magnus has cast, it has never failed but the possibility that it could, that his peers on the street below could see Alec, driven wild with lust as he takes every inch of his husband’s huge cock, turns Alec on immensely.

“Open your eyes husband" Magnus leans forward and whispers into Alec's ear, “what would they think, if they could see you now, would they be angry, jealous perhaps, would they turn their gaze in embarrassment?”

“Hmm, maybe they'd see I’m blessed" Alec smiles as he arches his back further. “See how lucky I am to have a husband that takes care of all my needs".

Magnus runs his tongue up the back of Alec’s neck, “you are such a perfect bottom slut". Alec shivers; he loves the filthy words that come out of Magnus's mouth.

“If I didn’t know better I would think that cunt of yours was magic” Magnus slaps Alec's ass as he moans in response. He shouldn't like the use of such words but when he and Magnus are having this kind of sex the filthier the better. “How else can you explain how it takes this huge warlock dick so well and yet every time starts off so tight" Magnus continues.

Alec closes his eyes in ecstasy. Magnus, sensing this, grabs a handful of Alec's hair and yanks back “No. Eyes open baby. Look at them, those shadowhunters who have no idea you're getting fucked deep by the high warlock of Alicante right under their noses.”

Magnus smirks “maybe I should lower the glamour, let them see what they are missing?"

“Uhh, I wish we could" Alec moans, knowing it would be the end of his career if they did, “wish they could see how beautiful your cock is when it is stretching and slamming into my pussy"

Magnus starts stroking Alec's cock, his thumb running up and down the veins of Alec's aching shaft. He knows it won’t be long before Alec is shooting his load.

“Tell me what you want Alexander” he places small delicate kisses along Alec’s neck and back which tingles. “What does my beautiful slutty husband want" Magnus lifts his right leg slightly, resting his foot on the banister in order to change the angle and really hit Alec's now very sensitive prostrate.

“I want you to cum in me" Alec, nearly breathless, strains to get the words out. He is too engrossed in the sensations of Magnus's thick and long 9 inch cock rubbing his prostrate, the grazing of his taint with each thrust, and those heavy balls of Magnus's grinding into his as he is taken all the way to the hilt.

“You gotta earn it first, cum for me" Magnus whispers into his ear again, “cum in front of all those people walking down in the streets".

Alec can’t hold it in much longer and before he knows it he has his first orgasm of the day. His ass throbs and contracts around Magnus's dick and the talented warlock has to fight so hard not to cum himself. Alec expected to spray all over the floor but found Magnus cupping the head of his cock, catching as much as he can. Still the volume and force in which he shoots his load means much of it still ends on the floor as it splashes back from hitting Magnus's hand or drips from it.

Alec goes to stick out his tongue, assuming Magnus intends to feed him his own load as he often does. Instead Magnus pulls out of Alec and Alec suddenly feels empty. He cries out, needing his husband to get back in there and fill him up.

He turns his head round and sees Magnus slather the cum over his own cock. Alec’s eyes bulge at the sight and Magnus flashes him a cocky smile.

Swiftly Magnus slides his cock back into Alec. Having been fucking for some time, slick with Alec’s cum it slides right in with ease.

“Holy fuck” Alec moans before whispering Magnus’s name repeatedly. “Feel that? I’m filling you cunt with your own cum, gonna add mine to it next"

Alec has already become hard again at the thought and sensation of it all. “Please Magnus” he begs.

“Please what Husband?”

“Please fill me with your cum. I want it full to the brim. Want your cum leaking out of my used hole throughout the whole fucking day.” Alec has never looked as pretty as when he is full of dick and desire.

“Everyone will know if they see you leaking" Magnus teases.

Alec knows and even loves the idea. Once Jace had noticed the smallest of patches leaking through and obviously knew why. It had turned Alec on so much, Jace’s face full of shock, Alec could have sworn he saw Jace’s cock twitch at the sight.

“Let them! Let them see that this pussy is yours. I want them to know you fuck it so good and fill it so much" Alec has already cummed just 5minutes early yet he feels another starting to build up.

Magnus picks up the pace and Alec’s moans seem to merge into one long moan of pleasure.

“Fuck! Magnus! I'm gonna cum again! FUCK!” Alec screams and his cock squirts ropes of cum on the ground. With each squirt his cock twitches upwards and his balls contract.

Alec’s ass pulsates and grips Magnus’s cock as he cums and this time Magnus can’t hold back. With a loud groan Magnus unloads into his husband's ass mixing with Alec’s cum that he had already fucked into there.

“Fuck. Alexander. Take it! Take every drop” Magnus closes his eyes and tilts his head back. His pounding doesn’t stop as he is cumming and he slams into Alec with every squirt.

Alec moves his hands behind him and grabs a hold of Magnus’s ass and pulls him towards himself. He holds Magnus as close as he can to him, Magnus buried as deep as he physically can be as he continues to unload.

After what seems like an eternity, Magnus collapses onto Alec's back, panting heavily.

“We best get showered" Magnus chuckles.

“Separately if we are going to get to work on time, today is going to be hell!" Alec smiles, turns his head and with a swift movement grabs Magnus by the back of the neck. He pulls him in to a deep kiss that lasts several minutes before Magnus finally pulls out. Alec tries to hold it in but it’s inevitable that a few drips escape, mostly running down the inside of his thighs, which Alec loves the sensation of.

Magnus smacks Alec's very full ass before heading in for that shower whilst Alec spends a few more moments looking out over Alicante, beaming with contentment.

**\---Scene 8---**

Alec straps his last holsters on and loads it with daggers. As Magnus walks in his breath is taken away, Alec standing in an all black ensemble, loaded with all manner of weapons and of course his bow and quiver.

“I’ve set up the pentagram in the over room, ready when you are” Magnus sits down on the bench next to his Husband and combs his fingers into Alec’s own, squeezing his hand.

“But I think we should spend half an hour acclimatising in here before we set off."

“Standard protocol is only for 10 minutes" Alec states.

“Yes but, you’ve only used an alliance rune with warlocks twice before. You did struggle a bit the first time with Lorenzo, and not to boast but I’m a bit more powerful than him or the other one" Magnus brushes Alec’s fringe to the side.

“That’s it?” Alec raises an eyebrow wondering if there is more to it.

“And it’s our first time together using the alliance rune, and I’m curious what we could get up to with you having a bit if magical ability" Magnus blushes, Alec using magic in their sex life had never occurred to him before.

Alec whips out his stele, “ready?” Magnus nods. “Help me find a patch?” Alec smirks, lifting his t-shirt up and giving Magnus access to his chest. Magnus runs his fingers across the muscles, feeling warm with lust. Alec affects him so much but they have a mission to carry out.

“How about here?” pointing to Alec's chest where his heart is “seems fitting”.

Alec smiles and his eyes penetrate Magnus very soul. “Hold my t-shirt up for me?”

Still with his hands to Alec’s chest, Magnus slowly drifts his hand up and grabs and bunches Alec's t-shirt, keeping his chest exposed.

Alec draws the alliance rune, the skin singes slightly and Alec grits his teeth for a brief second. It always hurts a little bit when one draws a rune onto flesh, like getting a piercing.

Magnus releases Alec's t-shirt and lifts up his own. He points to his heart and Alec melts, could his husband be any more of a romantic but badass cutie?

Magnus doesn’t flinch when the rune is placed on his chest. He lowers his t-shirt.

Alec stands up and flicks his hands and a blue glow of magical energy surrounds his finger tips.

“Now that’s hot!” Magnus looks up at Alec, feeling a flush of warmth he unbuttons the top two buttons of his grey dress shirt.

Alec just grins like an idiot, pleased that he can have such an affect on his husband.

Alec hears a tiny patter, like a drip, and looks at Magnus, “Your shirt?” he questions as he notices a drops of blood on them.

Magnus looks down and then places his finger under his nose before looking at it and seeing blood.

He turns to look at Alec, who with a cry collapses to the floor, blood streaming out of his own nose.

Alec clutches as his chest in terrible pain. It feels like he is being burnt from the inside.

Magnus stands up to rush over to Alec but immediately his legs give and he feels searing pain. Curled up in a foetus position Magnus has never known a pain like this, even when he was tortured by Imogen with the agony rune it never felt like this.

He cries out to Alec, “Ale...ahhh....Alexander”

“MAGNUS" Alec screams in pain.

“Get it off" begs Magnus clutching at the alliance rune on his chest.

They both reach their arms across the floor, every inch of movement feels like being disembodied and set ablaze.

Alec gets close enough with his stele to remove the rune and moves the stele over it to remove.

“ALEC!” Magnus begs, Alec tries again to remove it, a second, third and fourth time. He can’t understand why it won’t come off.

Alec moves his stele to his own chest and again he can’t seem to remove.

Alec is in the worst pain of his life and reaches out for Magnus, tears streaming down his face. Is he going to die? Is Magnus going to die? It feels like it. In that moment Alec just wants to take it all the pain away from his husband, bear it himself even though it would likely kill him.

“Magnus, I...” Alec wheezes struggling for breath, “I, love you!”

Magnus sobs and nods, “Aku Cinta Kamu”

Alec tries to focus on Magnus's face, he wants to remember it if it is the last thing he will see but it’s contorted in pain and it breaks his heart. Magnus starts to blur, his vision darkens and then there is nothing but darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thats the end of season 4! Malec dies! Just kidding of course they don't.  
This is just the start of their main Arc, next chapter will explore what has happened and why.  
Lexi wont be a recurring person (I think) I just needed someone to demonstrate how the task force is operating


	7. Husbands Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec and Magnus's use of the alliance rune leaves their lives in the balance. Can they be saved? And if so at what cost?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long one. I did consider splitting it into 2 chapters but it feels like 1 Chapter so enjoy.  
This episode is emotional (or at least it was in my head writting it)

**\--- Scene 1---**

“What's this?” Clary looked up to see Jace holding a picnic basket and glee in his mismatched eyes.

Clary was worn out and whilst appreciative felt there was no time.

Jace sat down next to her and closed the book she was reading. Clary pulled a face but before she could protest Jace holds her hand and in such a sweet tone says “You’re running yourself into the ground, you’re no help if you don’t look after yourself"

Clary smiles and tilts her head to rest on Jace’s shoulder, “it’s sweet but we don’t have time for this"

“We have time for a bit of food. Just to keep us going"

Clary reluctantly nods, she could do food, it doesn’t take too long and maybe it would be good to eat something today.

Jace opens the basket lid and starts pulling out a feast of food, there was an assortment of berries, Fougasse, cured meats like Jambon de Bayonne and Saucisson, jars of Terrines, Rillettes and Pâté and a variety of cheeses like Comté, Cantal, Abondance and Tome de Savoie.

“Wow, it’s just like when you found me in Paris and we spent a few hours there before Alec made us come back to the institute” Clary smiled. Then looking at the labels of some of the Jars she became puzzled before recognising the label from a French shop they had visited when they had been there.

“Wait. Did you... did you portal to Paris?”

Jace went sheepish, and looked down, hiding his gaze from Clary. “I thought, it was such a happy moment; finding you again. I thought it would be nice to have a little slice of that again.” Jace finally managed to meet Clary’s gaze before continuing “You've been working so hard since you came back, I worry about you"

Jace goes sheepish again and looks down at the food, but Clary with a hint of a tear in her eye, reaches out and grabs Jace’s chin. She pulls his face up and points it so he is facing her and unable to hide and leans in to kiss him.

“I know I’ve been so shit recently. I just... it’s so frustrating! I know the runes and the knowledge is there, but when ever I am able to access it it’s all random and mostly useless" Clary sighs.

“You’re too hard on yourself"

“Am I? The last intelligence I was able to pull from Ithuriel's memories was a 8000 year old recipe for a cake thing made out of sorrel, watercress, dandelion and nettle leaves” Clary purses her lip frustrated by the whole thing.

“You forgot the Barley Flour” Jace tried to get a smile out of Clary but it wasn't happening. “Oh that reminds me" Jace says as he pulls out a green round dense looking cake.

“You didn’t?” Clary rolled her eyes. The gesture was sweet admittedly, Jace had made the ancient recipe.

Jace breaks some off and passes it to Clary before breaking some off himself. They take a bite at the same time. Clary spits it out almost immediately; gagging on the taste. Jace quickly follows once he sees Clary has spat it out with, “Oh thank god, if I had to pretend that was good, I... I had nothing!”

The both find themselves laughing at the whole thing.

Clary kisses Jace, her sweet Jace, on the head and he closes his eyes and smiles. He was enjoying the warmth of her touch and presence when suddenly he feels a shooting pain.

“Jace, what’s wrong?” Clary asks confused.

Jace lifts up his shirt and places his hand on his Parabatai rune before he feels another wave of even more intense pain.

“Alec!”

He jumps out of the chair with such force it topples over and he bolts for the door. Clary runs after him.

They wind through a few corridors before reaching a room which seems locked and in one fell swoop Jace runs against it with his shoulder and smashes through.

On the floor lies Alec, curled up on his side with his left hand on his chest and his right arm extended up towards Magnus who appears much the same position but in mirrored. There is blood all over the floor and if they are breathing it is so slow and shallow Jace initially can’t see movements in their chest indicating that they are alive.

Clary gasps and puts her hand to her mouth as Jace collapses to the ground shaking them both, “Oh god no! You can’t leave me Alec. MEDIC” Jace screams.

**\---Scene 2----**

Catarina hands outstretch on either side, a magical misty glow hovers over both Alec and Magnus as they lay in the medical beds. They are still unconscious and showing little evidence of life.

Catarina shakes her head and the magic stops. Jace, Simon, Clary, Izzy, Luke, Maryse and Jia look on anxiously.

“I'm sorry, I was able to stabilise them for a bit but I don’t know what’s happening to them or why” Cat chocks on her words slightly, “their bodies are just... shutting down. I don't... don't know how much time they have left”

Luke holds Maryse tightly as she sobs.

“What were they doing before Jace and Clary found them?” Izzy’s voice is shaky but right now her leadership skills are kicking in and she thinks to herself ‘no! Not today! They are not dying, not if I have anything to do with it’

“They were about to go on a reconnaissance mission to Dudeal” Jia shrugs, “They were in an armoury I’m guessing they were loading up with weapons, nothing that explains _this_"

“Wait, Alec wouldn’t have been able to have survived in Dudeal" Luke raises the point

“Alec insisted on going, they were going to use the alliance rune" Jace thinks nothing of it.

There is panic in Clary’s eyes, a knowledge hits her like a truck which nearly winds her; sparkling glitter dances in front of her sight of vision but it doesn’t coalesce into a rune it just rushes into her body and fills her instead. “Oh fuck!” She runs over to Alec and starts inspecting his arm and neck with speed.

Clary rips open Alec’s shirt and sees the alliance rune. Take a step back gasping she asks Catarina to check Magnus.

Clary turns her head to see Magnus's alliance rune.

“I know what’s happening"

**\---Scene 3---**

Alec sighs slightly, nervous with everyone watching, “I’m not stepping on your feet am I?” Alec was never a strong dancer and nothing scared him more than everything not going perfectly today.

Magnus smiles and clasps one hand on Alec’s and the other around Alec’s back and pulls him in tightly. “How could you be, it’s like I’m walking on air"

_I see trees of green, red roses too  
I see them bloom for me and you_

“You’ve made me the happiest man alive" Magnus buries his head into Alec’s shoulder and neck.

“I believe I hold that distinction" Alec cockily retorts. Even now Alec’s skin still tingles when Magnus is close enough he feels his breath on his neck.

Alec is so engrossed that it takes him a moment to realise all the faces that surrounded him were suddenly gone, “where did everyone go?”

“Alec” Magnus sighs, “they were never there". Magnus looks up and presses the most gentle of kisses on his Husband's lips.

Alec’s smile falters, “Is this your mind or mine?”

“both, I think" Magnus tightens his grip further. He buries his face yet again in his Husband’s neck, hoping it can hide the watering eyes.

Alec gulps, “how long do we have left?”

Magnus moves to meet his gaze, looks down and adjusts Alec's bow tie with a smile tainted with sorrow, “as long as we can get away with"

\--- Scene 4---

“How do you know?” Catarina asks, she sure as hell can’t work out what’s going on so how can Clary?

“Because Ithuriel is starting to live up to his end of the bargain" Clary closes her eyes for a moment, she dreads where this conversation is going.

“Do you remember what I said, the first time I used the alliance rune? I described it as being like a _temporary Parabatai rune_"

“Fuck" Izzy suddenly sits up, her eyes wide.

Jace closes his eyes, how could he not seen this coming, he takes a deep breath, “Eros"

Simon is confused by all this, “sorry what's going on?”

“It’s against the Law for Parabatai to fall in love with each other" Jia explains

Simon’s reading kicks in, “Yea yea, there was old passages about Parabatai falling in love. Some of the fables said they grew dangerous, some said they gained magic like abilities, some went mad, and nearly all end in death. But those are just legends"

“All the legends are true" Jace’s eyes dart towards Simon.

Izzy shakes her head, no this can’t be, “But this isn’t a Parabatai bond! Why would being in love affect the alliance rune"

Clary looks over at Magnus and cups his face “They both create a bond but in different ways. Parabatai is like an exchange of how you feel and react, the alliance rune is more like an exchange of what you are. They are both soul bonds just in different ways"

“I don’t understand, a soul bond but different?” Maryse stutters as she wipes tears from her face

“If I bound with rope our arms together, or our legs, or hands maybe, each of those is a physical bond. The soul has many facets and there are many runes that bond in different ways. The twining rune Lillith used to bind me to Jonathan for instance"

“Why would love cause a problem?” Simon asks

Clary needs to finish this, she needs to explain what is happening, “being in love like that, that kind of connection, it overloads the runes, like a Dam that was designed to contain and harness the power of a river being used to hold back an ocean"

“You can cure them right? You can save Alec and Magnus!” Jace almost seems certain

“I think there is a way, I don't know, I can't see it yet" Clary is frustrated and bites her tongue.

“You were able to dig deep to find out what was wrong, dig deeper” Jace sits down next to Alec and holds his hand, hoping Alec could hear him through their bond begging him to fight and stay with him.

“I’m trying"

“Try harder!” Jace snaps “I am not losing Alec today or any other. You're the one with Ithuriel’s memories so use them! Otherwise what was the point in any of this" Jace storms out, instantly regretting flipping out. He goes back to his room and breaks down in tears. Everything was going wrong, he had been unfair on Clary, and his Parabatai and his Husband were going to die.

**\---Scene 5---**

“What the hell was that" Simon charged in. His face would have been flushed red with anger had he still been alive. His arms crossed and his gaze steely.

Jace is sitting on the floor, his knees raised up to his chest, his arms wrapped round his legs and clutching them towards himself. Jace’s head is bowed down and his hair has flopped down and covered his face, when he looks up his face is raw from the tears and Simon’s can’t maintain the look of rage, it’s tinted with pity.

Simon slumps onto the floor next to Jace, leaning back against the wall like Jace is. “I get Alec means a lot to you but you can’t act like that, and certainly not to Clary"

“I know, I just, you don’t know how much Alec means to me"

“I can’t know what it’s like to have a Parabatai but I get that you love him, we all get that" Simon places his hand on Jace’s knee and true to nudge him out of the spiral.

“It's more than that, it’s...doesn’t matter I’m just a mess. Ignore me" Jace wipes his face and rubs his wet hands on his jeans.

“no go on, you can tell me" Simon tries to reassure Jace, “You know you can trust me with anything! I didn’t tell anyone you binge watched star trek with me or that Janeway is your favourite, most people would disown you for not saying Picard by the way.” The both chuckle slightly.

“It’s just all that talk of Parabatai falling in love" Jace sighs.

“Because Alec thought he loved you?”

“It just brought a lot back” Jace nods, “He did love me you know, back then, it was _real_ love"

Jace had known for so long that Alec was in love with him, he wished he could love him like that back, “I wanted to...act upon it"

“Woah you wanted to bang Alec? Well this took a turn" Simon was genuinely surprised but his off the cuff reaction was not what he wanted to say and in his head he cringed so hard.

“No! Well kind of. I’ve never told anyone this" Jace looks into Simon’s eyes for a silent promise, he knows Simon wont break his confidence but he still needs that confirmation “I could feel what Alec felt, it was so pure that kind of love, I wished I could feel it too. I never did feel it myself until Clary."

“Must be hard to know he felt that way about you and you couldn’t return it" Simon sympathised; having been on the receiving end with Clary.

“Sorry I didn’t mean to" Jace stutters but Simon waves his hands to tell Jace its fine.

“We kissed once" Jace blurts outs.

Simon’s eye nearly popped out his face with surprise. It was such a weird thought, Jace kissing a dude.

Jace smiled as he fondly remembered “we were 17, and we snuck out, Maryse had no idea" he chuckles “We got totally drunk, and I had known for so long at this point about how he felt. So I kissed him. I pretended the next day that I had been too drunk to remember. He was so crushed by it”

“You didn’t feel the same way as Alec did? The love part not the crushing part" Simon clarifies.

“No, but I wished for it. I wanted so badly to be able to give him what he wanted; I wanted to feel what he felt for me. I didn’t act on it to start with because that would be a crime, the crime of Eros amongst Parabatai” Jace wipes his face again. “But when we kissed. It felt electric to him; I could feel that through the bond. But it didn’t feel like that to me. As much as I wanted to give myself to him and make him happy, I wanted him to have something authentic. He deserved something real from someone that loved him back the way he loved them”

“And that discussion about Eros brought it back up for you?” Simon wrapped his arm around Jace, other than his brothers Simon had become close enough to Jace the past year that he was the only man who probably could get away with that. Jace did feel reassured by the action, to the relief of Simon.

“More than that. Alec bonded himself to Magnus, I’m not just getting Alec’s feelings through the bond, and I’m feeling some of Magnus too"

Simon involuntarily jerks his head back slightly, “well that’s just weird"

“When they placed the rune on, I felt the pain they felt, both of them. But now I feel overwhelmed with Love and sorrow all blended into one.” Jace looks into Simon’s eyes, his own inflating as his voice breaks “It’s breaking my heart”. Jace continues to sob “He finally found someone who could love him, the way he _should_ be- he doesn't deserve this. Not now. Not now he has found that”

“You know, deep down, you’re just a big romantic sap” Simon shoves himself slightly into Jace and they both just giggle briefly. Jace wipes his face again, and Simon orders him to his feet “come on, you need to have a word with Clary!”

**\---Scene 6---**

Beams of sunlight penetrate the room and highlight its gold accents. A pair of boots, dark trousers and a few other items of clothing dot the rug and continues onto the carpet leading up to the bed.

Alec lazily starts to open his eyes, he still lies straight on his back after years of shadowhunter discipline, even in sleep he was expected to be composed and lay straight.

He feels Magnus wrapped around him, his arm atop Alec's chest and his thumb tapping on him softly. Magnus is on his side and his legs are drawn upwards slightly towards Alec. Both of them surrounded by gold silk bedding that is warm and comfortable. Magnus’s head rests on Alec s shoulder and Alec’s arm is under Magnus’s neck.

“Good morning" Alec says half asleep, his left hand moving above the covers on his chest towards Magnus’s tapping thumb.

Magnus lets out a small puff of air and replies “good morning"

Alec sharply moves his head to face Magnus and says “oh no what time is? I have to get to the institute” he turns onto his right side to face Magnus.

“Oh" Magnus starts to raise his head off the pillow, barely containing the disappointment in his eyes.

A devilish smile appears on Alec’s face “I’m, I'm just kidding, I’m just kidding”

Magnus sighs in relief and smiles.

“You really afraid I was gonna go?” Alec's eyes move up to face Magnus’s eyes

“No" Magnus lies

“What are you afraid of?" Alec looks into his Husband’s eyes

“Acid wash jeans" he chuckles

“Oh come on Magnus" Alec coxes

The colour drains slightly from Magnus’s face, “that this will end? And that, that we will end up in different places"

Alec brushes Magnus’s hair, “what you talking about baby?”

“You're Nephilim, and I'm the son of a prince of hell. What if… what if you go where ever Angels go and I get sent back down?"

“Never going to happen. You’re a good man Magnus. You’re coming with me, when we...” Alec starts to choke up, “I don’t know if I could have asked for a better death, to spend my last moments with my husband, living out these cherished moments. And knowing, absolutely knowing, that when we move on, if there is a place after here, we will be together”

“But, if I _do_ go to hell" Magnus tears up

“Hey" Alec grips his husband’s arm, “not happening. And if I had to I would rather spend an entirety in hell with you than be anywhere else without you"

“You can’t mean that"

“I meant it once before and I mean it now" Alec kisses Magnus’s forehead. Alec had planned to spend an eternity in Edom with Magnus, before they had killed Lilith and destroyed that dimension. Alec had even considering turning himself into a vampire, he would and could do anything for the man he loved so dearly.

**\---Scene 7---**

“Jace can be such a prick, are you ok Clary?” Izzy closes the door behind them as Clary flops onto her bed.

“He’s not wrong though. It was never this hard before, why am I finding it so hard to access all the knowledge and runes?” Clary screams into her pillow. Alec's and Magnus's life is in the balance here and Clary was frustrated she couldn’t work out what she needed to do to save them.

“After Ithuriel died it was always going to be hard to access, he isn’t there to just hand it over" Izzy sits next to Clary and lies down facing the ceiling, just being next to her would be Parabatai she hoped would ground Clary a bit.

“Well not always" Clary sighs.

“Really, when was it easy?”

Clary lifts her head out of the pillow and looks up at Izzy “I wouldn’t say easy, but it wasn’t this hard recalling the Necromancy rune or the alliance rune or even the rune I used to kill Jonathan"

“Yea I never understood the rune you used on Jonathan" Izzy pulls a puzzled look towards Clary

Clary groans and rolls her eyes, “I’ve told you, I surrounded him with heavenly wings of light, which purged him of anything demonic which tainted him. And his blood was demon blood so he couldn’t exactly live without blood"

“Yea and you said you think he is in heaven now?”

“Without anything demonic in him, he got to die as a Nephilim, as he should have been had it not been for Valentine and his damn experimentations. He died with a clean slate” she had explained this enough times to Izzy, “but that’s not the point, now I can’t access it the same as before I lost my memories. Do you think the Angels are trying to block me still?”

Izzy shakes her head, it’s doubtful given they’ve been unable to exert any noticeable influence on the Nephilim these past months, “You recalled the information about what’s affecting Magnus and Alec quite quick!”

Clary kind of nods and pulls a ‘meh' face as Simon likes to call it.

“So what’s the difference between those times and the others?” Izzy prompts Clary but Clary isn’t picking up where they are heading. “Clary you knew what you needed in those times, it was specific. The last few months you’ve been looking for _something helpful_ but maybe that’s too vague. Ithuriel said when you _need_ the knowledge it will come to you. Maybe you need to be thinking more specifically or be in situations when you need a specific solution"

Clary starts to agree, “Well I could do with a specific solution right now. I should go see Jace; he’s not doing well with all this"

“Don’t worry about Jace, Simon said he was going to talk to him. Besides you two will kiss and make up, if I’ve learnt anything from you two it’s that love conquers all” Izzy smiles and brushes some hair that had started to cover Clary’s face to one side.

With a sense of resolve Clary jumps up and bolts to the door, “come on, I got it! Thanks to you!”

**\---Scene 8---**

Alec pulls his lips away from Magnus’s and rests his forehead against Magnus's. He smiles and turns to look in the distance. “The buildings are going, I can barely see Wadakura Park” Alec chokes and his eyes inflate and sheen now they are starting to tear up"

“shsss, angel, it’s ok" Magnus lies, he knew Alec's mind had taken them here for the view, the still water in front of them is all that remains clear as they stand on the terrace of the Palace Hotel. It had been one of their first dates and Magnus wanted to show off and make the world Alec’s oyster so took him to Tokyo.

“It’s nearly over isn’t it" Alec gulps, feeling the world collapsing slowly around them. The buildings and the park in the background becoming hazy.

“I got you, I got you" Magnus pulls Alec in closer.

Alec’s voice falters and breaks, he struggles with his words as the tears are streaming down his face, “Oh god, I'm not ready, it’s not enough time Magnus!”

“Take my hand; we have enough time for one." Magnus can’t finish his sentence as he trembles at the sight of his crying husband.

**\---Scene 9---**

“So yea, those are the options" Clary finishes and the room is Silent. Everyone is stunned and not sure how to proceed. No one makes a sound for an uncomfortable amount of time, not Jace or Izzy, not Simon or Jia, not Luke or Maryse or even Catarina.

“So let them die or save them, I know my vote" Simon finally breaks the silence. Of course Simon would be the first to break it.

“It's not just saving them; their lives would be irrevocably altered! Would they thank us for that, for fundamentally changing their very nature?” Jia points out

“I died and came back and now I drink blood" Simon shrugs, “I got over it"

“Not everyone does, and it wasn’t exactly easy for you in the beginning Si" Izzy adds

“And then there is option 3, one dies to save the other. I hate to be the one to bring it up but that would stop _this_ from changing them" Jia points out.

“Right because losing the love of your life won’t change anything" Jace snaps

“And who do you propose we save? Who do we let die Jia? I don’t need 3 guesses to know who you will pick. As much as you all say you’ve changed you still pick your own above us" Catarina skin tints blue for a moment as she struggles to contain her rage despite her quiet nature.

“I'm sorry but we are at war. Alec is more valuable at the moment, he is critical to securing support within the Clave. You think I’m being heartless? I am because I need to be. But don’t paint me as a bigot. If I needed to sacrifice a shadowhunter for a warlock in order to win this fight don’t think for a second I won’t send one of my own to their death" Jia glares Catarina down

A sudden loud symphony of crashes deafens the room and everyone turns to Maryse who has swiped everything off a table in the corner, making sure everyone shuts up. Maryse walks over to Clary and firmly states “My son can't live with out his Husband and Magnus can’t live without him. And I’m not going to let them die. Do what you need to do"

“Maryse...” Jia starts but Maryse snaps her head towards her and glares “Alec's Husband is incapacitated so I'm his next of kin. Don’t even try to stop me"

If the situation hadn’t been so serious Jia would have chuckled at how similar Maryse and Alec were in that moment, it’s what Alec had said just the day before. Jia silently nods to give her consent, not that her consent is needed at this point.

Clary walks over first to Magnus and starts drawing a rune over the alliance rune.

**\---Scene 10---**

Alec smiles as he looks up fondly at the leaves and flowers that drape from the ceiling; it was like a chandelier that encompasses the room in a soft yellow autumn glow.

“There’s no one else here though" Alec nods towards where the guests would have been. Their world had become so small. Now the size of a small room with everything beyond it dark and hazy.

Magnus smiles so much it crinkles his face and he places his palm on his Husband’s cheeks “it was never really about them, was it”

“No, it wasn't” Alec’s agrees, the tears from Tokyo have gone and all that is left is a bright smile full of love and devotion for the man he loved above no other.

“Ready?”

“Ready" Alec takes a deep breath, still beaming Alec leans into Magnus’s ear and gently says “You picked the perfect one" bringing a wide smile to Magnus. If this was their end, Magnus picked the right one for them.

Alec begins “the love I have for you”

“Is a love that knows no bounds"

“In times of joy as well as sadness”

“In sickness and in health”

“I will love you as my equal”

“And protect you above all else”

“I’ll share with you my truest feelings”

“And when you speak I will listen”

“I will catch you when you fall”

“And when you soar I will help you reach your greatest heights”

“Magnus lightwood-Bane” Alec silently chuckles at the corrected name.

“Alexander Gideon lightwood-Bane” Magnus smirks

They both look down at their wedding rings, engraved with Aku Cinta Kamu before placing their hands on one another and in perfect synchronicity declare “I am and always will be your loving husband”

They gaze into each eyes, Magnus studies Alec's hazel eyes trying to recall every detail. Alec looks proudly into the cat eyes Magnus often hides, but they are beautiful, he is beautiful.

They kiss, gently and tenderly. Even with his eyes closed as he leans in to it, Alec feels the room start to darken further and he tightens his grip on his husband’s hand as he feels the end approaching.

Without looking Magnus, still holding Alec’s hands reaches towards his chest, pulling Alec’s hands towards his heart, “wait do you feel that?” as slight tingle spreads outwards.

Suddenly a bright light engulfs the room. It’s blinding and warm.

The air is suddenly sharp and crisp, Alec opens his eyes and it’s almost painful to do so, they feel so heavy.

He looks around the room as sees shadowy figures and a bed near his own with what appears to be a very blurry Magnus.

Alec sees Clary on his side and on the other a familiar voice draws his attention. “welcome back" Jace’s face comes into view with a trembling smile and happy tears in his eyes.

**\---Scene 11---**

Seeing Alec wake up, Magnus wants to cry with joy, “welcome back” he hears Jace say. Magnus reaches out to hold Alec's hand but it’s quite a stretch so he falls out of the bed.

“Magnus" Alec shouts. He quickly joins him on the floor between their hospital beds and holds his Husband.

“I think we best leave this to family" smiles Jia, relieved to see them both awake, she places her hand on Simon to herd him out. Luke kisses Maryse on the head as he joins them on the way out. Catarina stays, she is Magnus’s family or at least the closest he has to one.

Clary starts to leave too but is stopped by Maryse, “stay, please? They need to know what happened"

Alec covers Magnus in kisses, he feels the world rush through him, and they are definitely alive.

Maryse is the first to join them, wrapping a motherly embrace around them both “my boys"

The next few minutes no words are exchanged, hugs and tears, kisses and awkward laughter of relief but not words.

“What happened mom?” Alec finally manages to choke a word out. His mouth is dry and he still feels slightly weak.

Jace tries to jump in and help explain it all. “so imagine there's a Dam and there’s water but ocean and not a river but the Dam is as rune so rune Dam and then there’s water which Dams are normally good at holding but oceans remember"

As Jace stumbles his words and Alec and Magnus, who are still embraced, look evermore puzzled Izzy wipes a way a tear and interrupts “you overwhelmed the alliance rune” she smiles.

Maryse swallows, “I’m sorry but we had to make a difficult choice, otherwise you would have both died"

“What kind of choice?” Magnus shakily rises up, pulling Alec to his feet as well.

“We couldn’t remove the alliance rune so we had to stabilise it. With a rune that would reinforce the bond” Catarina looks down sheepishly

“turns out we still have a lot to learn about the runes we _do_ know about, let alone all the others we've yet to rediscover" Izzy sits on the edge of the bed while Magnus and Alec remaining standing near her.

Alec raises his shirt and sees the alliance rune overlaid with another “the wedded union rune?”

Magnus quickly removes his own shirt to see the same thing. Confused he continues “I’m a downworlder how is this possible?" They had placed the rune on their rings originally, as Magnus was a downworlder and therefore could not be marked with the rune. Alec had broken from tradition where shadowhunter couples usually place a rune on the back of the hand and on the heart because he wanted to mirror Magnus.

“The alliance rune. You share skills, powers and immunities” Clary finally manages to join in to the conversation.

“When I did this with Lorenzo, I couldn’t use my stele any more" Alec gulps loudly. He fears he has again lost his ability to use runes.

“My magic wont ever be the same either will it" Magnus feigns a smile.

Clary grins like a massive idiot, “well actually...” she passes a stele to Alec.

Alec activates his strength rune on his bicep. He gasps a sigh of relief. “If you don’t mind I need to use this rune, and several others, on my husband" he smirks, he is so thankful. Alec lifts Magnus into his arms ready to head out the door.

“Wait” Clary holds her hand out and with reluctance Alec puts Magnus down. But before Magnus could continue Alec excitedly urges Magnus “do your thing" and with a flourish of his arms and a blue sparks of light, he and Alec are dressed in some of Magnus's finest clothes.

“I guess the wedding union rune restored our abilities?" Magnus said with glee, “it feels no different than before"

“I know you’re both excited but there’s more" Clary grabs Alec's stele.

“Give it back" Alec whimpers.

Clary hands it to Magnus but he instinctively retracts his hand away from the Adamas Stele. “It’s ok, go ahead"

Magnus shakily reaches out and holds the Stele.

“Well? Try one!" Clary encourages as everyone around the room looks on with trepidation.

Magnus nervously smiles and draws onto his palm Clary’s light rune and sure enough a beam of sunlight shoots out towards the ceiling for a moment before Magnus closes his hand and it stops.

“Hey" Alec frowns, he snaps his fingers as blue radiant mist swirls around his hand and suddenly the Stele disappears from Magnus’s hand and ends up in his own, “mine" he grins.

“Ok, so I need _you_ to say what it because if I say it and I am wrong you’re gonna think I’m stupid" Alec raises his eye brows

“The wedded union rune stabilises the alliance rune and by extension the sharing of your abilities and gifts. You're both shadowhunters…and you’re both Warlocks" Clary nods

Both Alec and Magnus are at a loss but somehow so overjoyed, the both thought they would loose their own abilities or only be able to partially access both like anyone using the alliance rune. Instead they’ve retained their abilities and more.

“It’s going to be an adjustment” Magnus admits

“We can’t ever remove the alliance rune can we? This is going to be here until the day I die isn’t it?” Alec sighs, this is a gift but it's also overwhelming.

“Yeah… about that” Clary awkwardly looks at them both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've already planned what is happening but I am curious, what do you think is happening? Are you enjoying the story so far? Let me know in the comments :)


	8. Role reversal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The cost of saving their lives takes a toll as Alec who struggles with his new reality and Magnus feels hurt by Alec. 
> 
> There is news from Dudeal and an old face makes an explosive return

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explicit/Smutty scenes are labelled for those who want to skip
> 
> Please comment :) I love to hear what you think and where you think the story is going

**\---Scene 1---**

“Wait...am I... I can die right?” Alec trembles and Magnus reaches for his hand.

“Well yes, b....” before Clary can finish her sentence Alec breathes a sigh of relief, “Oh thank god I thought you were going to say I was immortal". Thoughts had rushed into his mind of seeing Maryse, Jace, Izzy, maybe his own children (When he and Magnus got to that place) becoming old and dying- what he feared most though with immortality was as the years go by, forgetting them. After all, immortals don’t have perfect memories.

“W...” Clary is interrupted yet again

“Hey what’s wrong immortality" Magnus teases.

“Yea, umm about your immortality Magnus?” Catarina chokes out

“oh for fucks sake, if you’re gonna tell me I’m mortal _again_ I’m gonna lose my shit" huffs Magnus

Everyone is on edge and reluctant to tell them both about the implications of their decision but Clary just needs to get this done, “your both half-immortal"

“Come again?” Alec asks full of confusion

“Alec was mortal and Magnus immortal, with the wedded union rune you’re both kind of in the middle. Like it’s equalised"

“How the fuck does that work?” asks a stunned Magnus

“You will both die, but I can’t say when, 50 years, 5000 years, I just can’t know” Clary sits down next to Magnus who retreats from her presence.

“I could live for 5000 years?” Alec asks aloud in shock.

“If I find a single grey hair again!” Magnus puffs.

“You won’t age either, we think" Catarina chimes in but it’s still such a shock to them both they struggle to take any more information in.

Alec is a swirl of emotions; he never contemplated what it would be like to live for thousands of years. Sure he had considered becoming a vampire to rescue Magnus once in Edom, but he was thinking about the immediate future, about rescuing his husband, he never had time to process what such a life would actually look like.

**\---Scene 2---**

Magnus nibbles at Alec’s neck.

“Not right now baby" Alec sulks

Magnus sighs and moves his head to bury it into the golden silk pillow and let’s out a gentle moan of frustration. “I know this is a big adjustment but it is what it is"

It had been a week since they became joined through the wedded union rune.

“Is this what it felt like for you? When you became mortal?” Alec turns and asks his husband

“Yes. No. It’s different. I don’t know”

“This seems easier than last time, for you" Alec runs his hands through Magnus’s hair.

“When I was mortal, it was a certainty that I had only decades left. Now? It was always a risk, that I would be killed or injured. There was no guarantee I would live to thousands of years. I guess it doesn’t feel that much different to me"

“I’m sorry" Alec sighs and kisses Magnus gently

“What ever for darling husband?” Magnus smiles

“When you became mortal. I knew it was hard for you. But I assumed you would find a way to, I don’t know, adjust? I expected too much" Alec’s eyes water slightly.

“And you don’t think you will adjust to this?” Magnus felt hurt by Alec’s words.

“I just don’t know how you get used to the idea of watching those you love aging and dying" Alec can’t deal with the idea of watching Izzy and Jace age and die. His Parabatai will pass and leave him for centuries or longer with a part of his soul missing.

**\--- Scene 3---**

“Why am I so mad at him?" moans Magnus as he lies on Catarina’s couch.

Catarina almost chuckles, for someone so old he can be so clueless in affairs of the heart.

“You're mad at him because all he ever wanted was to spend his life with you. And you feel he could accept that when you were mortal and struggles with it now he is immortal or semi-immortal or whatever" Catarina hits the nail on the head.

“I know it’s a big adjustment but he has me. I thought...” Magnus wipes a single tear from his eyes, “I thought I was enough"

“Magnus, Alec probably felt the same way you did when you were mortal. You couldn’t see anything but the pain of the loss of your immortality"

“Was I that bad?” Magnus ponders

“Yes!” Catarina says sharply, “But it was completely understandable. I think everyone hoped, but I _knew_ Magnus, I knew you would find a way to be at peace with that”

“I was a mess back then, even ruined Alec's planned engagement dinner" Magnus nods, maybe he was failing to see that the issue was not him but everything else Alec would need to get used to.

“I don’t know how to help him" Magnus sighs, he felt at a loss to help the man he loved.

“Do what Alec did" Catarina flashed a smile, “be there for him and get him to _let_ you be there for him"

**\---Scene 4---**

“You need to get out of this funk" Izzy opens the curtains and light comes shining through into the bedroom.

“Agh" Alec retreats from the light as if he was a vampire.

Izzy jumps onto the bed and the force sends ripples through the mattress and bounces Alec up slightly, “Shoes Izzy!”

Izzy takes her high heel boots off and throws them at Alec, “hey do these smell to you?” she laughs

Alec starts to crack up “You’re so gross sometimes, you're really playing up the role of little sister"

“Where’s Magnus?”

“Visiting Catarina” Alec's smile drops slightly

“I know this is an adjustment" Izzy starts but before she can finish Alec interrupts “I wish people would stop saying that"

“You get to spend the rest of your life with Magnus, isn’t a part of you happy with that?” Izzy asks

“Would you become a vampire?” Alec asks, “You fell in love with an immortal too, would you become a vampire to be with Simon?”

Taken aback Izzy stutters “I don’t know"

“I’m so turned around" Alec admits, “I should be happy that I can spend my life with Magnus and that I won’t be this burden on him. But...”

“You’re scared of us dying?” Izzy asks sympathetically

“Yeah but it’s more than that. It’s not just you, it’s your children, your grandchildren, and you’re great grandchildren. And every generation of lightwood will be more distant from me.” Alec hopes the answer will satisfy Izzy but it doesn't.

“There’s more to it than that” Izzy accuses him.

Alec nods, “I’m scared I’ll forget you. That thousands of years from now all I will have of you is your whip in a box next to Jace's stele or Clary's sketchbook"

“Why in a box?” Izzy questions but Alec just dismissively waves his hand.

“It’s good to get this all out. What else?” Izzy nudges Alec as he sighs and looks up at the ceiling.

“I wanted to be a dad, some day"

“And you think that somehow you can’t be now?” Izzy raises a perplexed eyebrow

“It was something I always wanted, and Magnus would be a great dad too" Alec eyes light up with joy at the thought of Magnus as a father. “But it’s painful to imagine you guys aging, passing and becoming a distance memory. Imagine having as child and that happening. How can I have a child knowing one day I might forget their first word or what they looked like when they smiled" a few tears silently drip down one cheek.

“Well you and Magnus are only semi-immortal so you know you could be dead in 15 years" Izzy tries to lighten the mood

“Great pep talk sis. Besides if there’s anything I’ve learnt from Magnus it's that semi is longer than you’d think" Alec chuckles

“Gross" Izzy mocks as she throws a pillow at Alec’s head

**\---Scene 5---**

Magnus walks into the apartment. A dazzling black blazer which sparkled in the sunset that lit up the apartment from the balcony.

From the kitchen Magnus hears a snap and the music starts filling the living room

_Got our different ways with the same old payout. Had our own dreams with the same old outcome_

“I remember this song" Magnus beams as he joins Alec in the kitchen. Alec is running about the kitchen, stirring the pots intermittently.

“Oh?” Alec mutters as he continues by chopping up some mushrooms before adding them to a skillet.

“That time Jace was staying at mine and he was being, umm, loud" Magnus recalls

“Oh, hadn’t even clicked" Alec smiled

“You’re in a good mood" Magnus cautiously notes.

This is a big change in Alec’s recent demeanour. Magnus wants to be happy but he is sceptical about this sudden change.

“I was thinking I might try conjuring desert” Alec states casually, knowing it was anything but.

Magnus pulls a face and doesn’t need to say anything for Alec to know what he thinking.

“It’s only desert and I need to get used to the fact I have this magic all the time, I need to practise it right?” Alec pleads with Magnus

Magnus walks up behind Alec and rubs his shoulder. “Okay” Alec's mouth grins broadly. “But just desert. You've done a few basic spells with Lorenzo and that other one but remember you're as powerful as me now, I think. You haven’t grown up learning this stuff so you need to ease yourself into it"

Alec nods like an excited puppy and jumps onto Magnus. He wraps his legs around Magnus and kisses him passionately, tongue slipping into Magnus.

“hmmmm, baby, the mushrooms” Magnus pulls back slightly and Alec turns to see the mushrooms starting to burn in the skillet.

Alec jumps down and turns the pan off. There’s a moment where Alec feels in some small way he has fucked up yet again. But he hides it; Magnus didn’t need to keep dealing with his self pity. He needs to be strong; he needs to get his shit together. So Alec keeps the mask on.

**\---Scene 6---**

“That was delicious” Magnus tapped the corners of his mouth with the napkin.

“Wait until you try this" Alec swirls his fingers as they are surrounded by blue lights and suddenly a slice of carrot cake appears in his hand.

Alec goes up to Magnus and sits in his lap. His smile is infectious and Magnus chuckles as his husband lifts the plate up between them.

“You forgot to conjure the dessert folk" Magnus smiles as he looks into those gorgeous big hazel eyes of Alec's.

Alec smirks and softly whispers in Magnus ear, “It appears I have. Guess it’s going to take more practise"

Alec dips his thumb into the frosting and brings it to Magnus’s lips. Magnus slowly parts them as Alec slides his thumb into the warm mouth. Magnus wet tongue swirls around the thumb suckling on the sweet frosting.

“Bedroom" Magnus manages to breathe out. His eyes gently look up and Alec jumps off, places the plate on the table and yanks Magnus off the chair. “Bring the cake” Magnus smirks.

“Oh we gonna play like _that_ tonight?” Alec starts stripping as he heads to the bedroom.

“Actually I wasn’t thinking about playing with food as much as you’re going to need the pick me up after I’m finished with you" Magnus retorts as he swaggers on over towards the bedroom.

“Cocky" Alec teases.

“Talented” Magnus corrects. Alec can’t help but agree.

**\--- Scene 7---**

**\---explicit/smutty scene---**

Alec is heaven, all his worries melted away as Magnus weighed down on him. His skin is so warm it tingles every point of contact. Alec was surrounded. The softness of the bed on his back which engulfed him from behind and Magnus’s body which laid on top of him.

His legs wrapped around Magnus, pulling him in ever closer.

Alec was so hot he could burst into flames. Magnus face was buried in his neck and the heat from his breath made Alec moan.

Alec loved to moan and be loud but he loved it even more when Magnus talked dirty to him.

Magnus slid his huge member out of Alec’s very wet and lube slicked hole before ramming it back it to the hilt. The dragging sensation on Alec’s prostate seemed to last an eternity and every second was electric. “hmmm you take that dick so well Alexander" Magnus whispered into Alec’s ear. Alec’s own hard and leaking cock throbbed at the praise.

Magnus started to nibble on his ear before sliding his tongue around Alec’s sensitive lobe and swirling around the rest of his ear.

Alec let out a massive moan that was pure filth and lust. “You moan like a whore darling husband” Magnus teased “how does someone so innocent and pure sound so filthy in bed"

Alec was panting heavily, “it’s easy when you fill me up with that monster cock"

“This monster cock?” Magnus playfully asks as he slams his length back in hard.

Struggling to get the words out Alec begs “mm…more"

Magnus happily obliges. He slaps Alec’s ass as he continues to pound at force. Moving his head so his and Alec’s foreheads touch. The sweat glistening on both of them. Magnus moves slightly to kiss Alec.

Alec’s moans are muffled by Magnus lips and his tongue penetrates Alec’s mouth who responds in kind. Their tongue swirl across each other.

Magnus could feel he was close so pulled out of Alec who whimpered at the loss of the monster warlock cock that had filled him.

“Hmm I want more" whined Alec.

“I'll give you more soon sweetness but first of all I need something"

Soon Alec was writhing in pleasure as Magnus tongue swirled around his hole. He has missed this, this was the first time since they bonded that they had had sex.

Alec was laid onto his left side, his left leg straight down the bed. His right thigh at a right angle to his body and his calf parallel to the other leg so that he looked like a lower case ‘h' on the bed. With his legs in that position Alec’s upper body leaned slightly forward and down towards the mattress. He looks over his shoulder to see Magnus.

Magnus’s face was buried in his ass and Magnus used his hands to pull Alec’s cheeks further apart as he devoured his husband.

Magnus gently slaps Alec’s ass and continues to rub circular motions on the cheeks. Alec’s precum had leaked all over the bedding leaving pools of dampness.

“Mmm, I could eat this for every dessert" teased Magnus between darts of his tongue teasing Alec’s ring.

Alec playfully swayed his ass side to side, teasing Magnus. Every movement of Magnus’s tongue brings him closer to orgasm, every touch of his hand makes his skin crawl in ecstasy; had his ass not been smooth, the delicate fine blond hairs that used to be there would have stood on end.

“Please Magnus I’m so close" Alec begs.

Magnus is close himself and he knows where Alec wants it but loves to hear him beg. “What do you want?” he asks muffled by Alec’s ass

“Ohh" Alec cries as Magnus’s lips vibrated around his sloppy hole when asking the question.

Magnus slaps Alec’s ass again to demand an answer, the shockwaves rippling through Alec’s big juice ass

“I want your cum. I want you to cum Magnus"

“Where?” teases Magnus

“Umm cunt" Alec groans, “fill me up Magnus, I need your cum deep inside my pussy"

Magnus chuckles and his tongue retreats, “this wet pussy?” Magnus continues to tease running his fingers around the rim of the slick hole.

Magnus sticks 2 fingers into the hole, slightly crooked to find Alec’s p-spot. Magnus starts gently rubbing circles on his prostate as his tongue continues to flicker around the sensitive rim.

“cum in my pussy" Alec begs, “please I can’t hold off much longer"

Magnus sits up and repositions himself so the head of his cock is back at the entrance to Alec’s hole.

As soon as Magnus slams back in his cock is surrounded by a deep heat that thrives and massages his whole length.

“Fuck this hole is so good Alexander. Why is it so good?”

“Only because it has the perfect cock for it" Alec smiles blissfully

“I swear this cunt was purposefully designed for my dick. No one takes it so beautifully or as hungrily as your hole"

“God yes Magnus, this hole is made for you and that cock is made for me"

“I don’t think I can hold out much longer" Magnus cries, hardly able to keep his eyes open.

“do it, fill me up with cum, I wanna feel your seed dripping out my pussy for days" moans Alec

Magnus gets warmer and warmer as he approaches his climax. With 1 last deep thrust he buries himself as deep as he can into Alec as he unleashes what feels like a gallon of warm sticky cum inside his Husband's guts.

The sensation is too much for Alec as he feels the cum fill him up. The throbbing cock inside his ass pulses against his prostate. He screams, “Oh fuck, Magnus, I’m cumming, I’m cumming"

Alec feels a warm bright white light behind his eyes as he explodes all over the bedding.

Feeling overwhelmed at the peak of his orgasm Alec feels increasingly hot and can’t open his eyes from the blinding light he feels. Crackling noises run around the perimeter of the room as glass everywhere cracks and finally explodes firing shards everywhere in time with Alec’s last and final shot of cum.

**\---Scene 8---**

Shards of glass litter the floor. Magnus is covered in a dozen or so shallow and bloody cuts from when the glass went flying.

“Oh god Magnus" Alec pounced on him.

“I’m ok Alec, I’m ok" Magnus grabs Alec’s stele and activates Alec’s Iratzi rune as Alec hasn’t even notice the hand full of cuts he had himself. As he heals Magnus wipes the drop of blood on Alec’s trembling lip from where it was cut.

Magnus then turns the stele towards his own skin and marks an Iratzi on his left shoulder. The cuts melt away and Magnus reassures Alec “see? All gone!”

Alec nods vacantly.

“We need to get me my own stele, there’s like no drain when using runes is there?" Magnus tries to distract Alec. Magnus was also correct in that runes didn’t exhaust the user unlike magic which did.

Magnus snaps his fingers and the glass shards disappear.

“Alexander, look at me" Magnus calls out to a despondent Alec, “look at me baby"

Alec lifts his head and looks at Magnus with inflated eyes, “I'm sorry, I guess I lost control"

“It’s ok, I’m fine, you’re fine, it happens” Magnus kisses Alec on the forehead “you just need to get used to your magic"

“I need to go. I’m not safe to be around" Alec chokes out between tears and places his hand to his face to hide them.

Alec stands up, still naked and face red from the tears, he starts walking towards the door.

Magnus runs towards him, “stay with me"

Alec tries pushing Magnus off him but Magnus persist, “you could never hurt me. I’m safe, _you’re safe_"

“I know you’re trying to help but you can’t" Alec sobs and collapses to the floor.

Magnus wraps his arms around his husband, “let yourself be here, with me. Let me be here for you like you were here for me. Shsss its ok darling"

Alec, still with tears streaming nods as he buries his head into Magnus. His cries resonate through the apartment as his breathing becomes erratic from the involuntary emotions.

**\---Scene 9---**

The apartment starts to glow a brilliant amber colour as the sun starts to rise.

“Yea but maybe our children will be immortal" Magnus responds.

Alec had spent the whole night talking and finally opening up to Magnus.

“When did morning happen?” Alec softly smiles.

On the couch Alec is laid back with his back to Magnus’s bare chest as he had been for many hours. His head to one side near Magnus’s new Iratzi rune. Magnus is slowly playing with Alec’s hair. They are both still naked from the night before and Alec feels safe and engulfed by the warm body at his back.

“Don’t change the subject" Magnus gently whispers, “our children could be immortal”. Alec had spent time revealing his fears. The most recent disclosure up for discussion was his fear that if he became a father now he couldn’t live through the heartbreak of losing a child

“How?” Alec says flatly.

“Well maybe we will adopt a beautiful baby Warlock" Magnus smiles and Alec hums. “I mean you didn’t think we would be having kids the more traditional way did you?”

Alec snorts with a smile, “well that doesn’t mean we should stop trying"

Magnus chuckles.

“And who knows, there seems to be a spell for everything. I might look good with a bump" Alec’s body vibrates against Magnus’s as he laughs at the ridiculous thought.

Magnus wipes a tear of laughter out of his eye, “ha. Oh sweetie this isn’t a fanfic on some website, this is real life"

Alec hums in agreement. He yawns and wiggles slightly, trying to reduce any gaps between his skin and his Husband's.

Magnus runs his hand over Alec’s bare chest which is sensitive to the touch as the cold morning air provides a sharp contrast between his Husband's warm finger tips and the crisp air.

Magnus places a kiss on Alec’s head, happy Alec is finally opened up about everything that had been troubling him rather than bottling it up.

Magnus’s phone vibrates on the table beside the couch and he picks it up.

“Lorenzo is back from Dudael”

“Lorenzo went to Dudael?” Alec's voice peaks slightly in question.

“Well until we’ve got a bit more comfortable with all these changes Jia felt it was right to reassign someone to the mission" Magnus continues to stroke Alec’s hair

“By himself?”

“I think Simon was going with him" Magnus said softly.

“I thought we liked Lorenzo now" Alec smiled like a kid, finally starting to feel better for having gone over all his worries through the night.

Magnus huffs and then chuckles slightly, “I thought we liked _Simon_ now"

Alec laughs somewhat loudly, “they both would have killed us if they heard this"

**\--- Scene 10---**

“The what-a codex?” Jace raises a look in confusion and he reads “ἀποκάλυψις codex” from the report.

“The apokálypsis codex” Lorenzo says again. He is about to continue before Simon places a strong hand on Lorenzo’s shoulder and says “I got this chief"

“The apokálypsis codex” Simon says confidently.

“Yeah we got that from Lorenzo" Alec rolls his eyes

“Apokálypsis, the Greek for apocalypse. It’s rumoured that some of passages from the codex were leaked in the early 200s, and led to the book of revelations in the Christian bible"

“So this book is about the end of the world?” Clary looks up from the report to Simon.

Across the briefing room sits Simon, Izzy, Alec, Magnus, Jia, Luke, Jace, Lorenzo and about 6 others who are heads of Enclaves around the world, and 5 team leaders from the central operations team working out of the base.

“Well the word apocalypse means _to reveal_ so” Lorenzo responds before Simon interrupts.

“It actually means _to reveal_ and some would say more specifically heavenly revelations"

Lorenzo casually and silently sits down and throws his pen before mouthing across the table to Magnus _how do you shut this vampire up...the whole mission Magnus! The WHOLE mission!_

Magnus chuckles and Simon coughs _*Ahem*_

Now don’t get it wrong Magnus loves Simon, sort of, but now that Simon found a purpose as the New York institute expert in shadowhunters lore he could be a bit insufferable on occasion.

Magnus moves a hand below the table and flourishes some twirls whilst magical energy surrounds the finger tips.

“The codex" Simon stops and coughs. He throat must be dry he thinks as his voice sounded a bit higher pitched than normal. “the codex is rumoured" Simon stops taken back by the even higher pitch of his voice. He grabs a glass of water and takes a gulp.

“It’s rumoured" Simon’s eyes dart towards Lorenzo as he turns an accusing gaze. The pitch of his voice now high like he had sucked a helium balloon.

People around the room struggle to hold back their sniggering. Even Izzy places her hand over her mouth as her chest sharply moves with silent laughter.

“Don’t look at me" Lorenzo raises his hands in the air.

“Magnus?!” Simon asks in a chipmunk like voice but with an angry shrill tone.

Half the room burst into rambunctious laughter as they fail to contain themselves.

“Must have been Alec, so sorry” Magnus wipes a tear from his face laughing, “He’s still getting used to his powers"

Alec shoots Magnus a glare for blaming him, rolls his eyes and smiles at Simon, “Sorry Simon. This is all still new"

“Don’t worry my friend; I know how difficult the first few weeks of becoming a downworlder are"

The serious message of Simon’s words is undercut by the ridiculous pitch which sends more people into laughing fits.

“Perhaps we could get back to the matter at hand?” Jia firmly states to the group. Magnus nods and waves his hand and a blue flash of light appears in his hand and near Simon’s throat.

Speaking normally Simon continues, “Based on some of the records we have around various institutes I believe it was in the Claves possession until about 700 years ago.”

“What happened 700 years ago?” Alec asks

“There are obscure references- there seems to be a tradition specific to the codex which makes no sense. It talks about the codex being copied on a regular basis before the original copy was destroyed” Simon shrugs

“What would be the purpose of that?” Jace questions. It makes no sense as far as he could see.

“I mean a Torah scroll is hand written and must be duplicated precisely by a trained scribe, if there was any error during transcription it would render it pasul; invalid” Simon again shrugs and takes a deep breath, “What throws me is why you would destroy an old copy once copied? But it could mean they only copy if the old copy became damaged maybe? The references are not exactly clear"

“So why are demons from Dudael so interested in a book?” Jia ask

“It seemed to me they were less interested in the book and more interested that we don’t get hold of that book” Lorenzo taps his fingers on the briefing table as he talks.

“So there might be something in the codex that helps explain everything that’s going on recently" Izzy leans back in her chair.

“Clary you have Ithuriel's memories, did he every, I don’t know, read it?” Luke looks over at his daughter.

“I’ve checked. If he did read it or know what it was then it was not passed on. Ithuriel gave billions of years worth if memories but was clear that it wasn’t everything, he didn’t have enough time before Lillith killed him to do that" Clary sighs, “Guess this was one of those memories that didn’t make it"

“I think the last location of the codex was in the New York institute” Simon concludes based on his research.

“700 years? I don’t know if we will find anything resembling a clue in the institute but I'll head back and see what I can find" Izzy offers.

A few nods and agreements are exchanged and the meeting comes to a close soon enough. As people chat amongst themselves Simon approaches Izzy.

“Why don’t you continue researching at this end, you’ve got a lot of resources here at your disposal” Izzy offers

“I was kind of hoping we could spend some quality time together” Simon sighs and smiles.

Izzy pulls Simon in for a kiss, “I’m sorry Si, why don’t I portal back tonight and let’s just spend the evening together. No work.”

Simon reluctantly nods. It was only 8.30am and Izzy wouldn’t be back until 9pm at least. 12 hours of waiting.

“I’ll make it special” Izzy almost makes it sound like a question

“Ok. But you know that black skimpy Lace number I like" Simon whispers

“Yeah" Izzy grins

“I’ll be wearing that when you get back" Simon jokes

Izzy shoves Simon whilst chuckling, “I love you"

“Love you to Iz" Simon kisses Izzy on the cheek before running off

**\---Scene 11---**

“You keep looking at your watch" Underhill remarks

“Umm yea.” Izzy nods, having just checked and found the time to be 3pm, “planning to spend some time with Simon. It’s just been so manic lately”

“Tell me about it, Lorenzo was away for 3 days with Simon...visiting his grandmother in Florida" Underhill nervously says

“Andrew, no one was paying attention anyway" Izzy chuckles.

An alert pops up on the workstation screen, “Huh, that’s weird" Underhill proclaims

“What’s weird?” Izzy asks, begging for a distraction.

“It’s like the system glitched for a second. See here?” Underhill points to a string of code on the screen with a pen.

“Yes...of course” Izzy mocks

Underhill smiles, “well according to these readings the wards were both working normal and were down at the same time for a few moments"

“Have we detected any authorised persons onsite or any demonic presence?” Izzy asks

Underhill types away at the screen, “I can't _see_ anything but if the words were down it could be possible. But it says the wards were both down and operational. Both can’t be true”

“Could it be a fault?” Izzy asks

“Probably. There are sensors all over the institute monitoring the wards at all times to ensure there are no breaches or problems. One might be malfunctioning.” Underhill zooms in onto a basement level, “ah this one, that output isn’t right so may have caused the dual reading" he taps the screen.

“I’ll come with you" Izzy suggests keen to avoid any more reading in pursuit of the codex.

“A bit below you pay grade boss. Besides it was probably just a rat chewing through a wire in the sensor"

“A rat?” Izzy’s eyes widen

Underhill chuckles, “I’ll report back in 5”

Underhill walks to the lift leaving Izzy in the main operations room. As the doors close he starts to descend before the lift halts and the lights go out. Andrew starts to feel vibrations coming from below.

**\--- Scene 12---**

“Mama?” a small child, maybe 4 or 5 calls out in the street. He is small and lost, he looks around, the buildings around him, the cars on the street, the dilapidated church across the road covered in vines, but he can’t see his mother.

A deep rumble can be felt across the street.

From the doors of the old church a bright light flashes intensely. Between every crack in the wooden door and between every joint light glares out. The wood seems to bend to let more light seep out. As the wood continues to buckle and bend the light pools and becomes a powerful bright yellow ball focused at the door, surrounded by a white haze.

Shards of the door and frame slowly break away and float through the air.

From behind the many windows of the church an even brighter flash of yellow light emerges. A grey swirl of smokes surrounds the edges of the windows and doors, hugging closely to the walls as of it has a mind of its own and wants to smoother the building.

From where the door once was thick grey dust shoots out from the edges like a starburst, quickly overtaking the wooden shards from before.

Another deep orange glow appears behind the dust as if a malevolent spirit.

The walls of the church light up with the same deep orange glow, slowly spreading from the entrance and windows as if a time lapse image of a wall being repainted.

The light at the entrance bloats and expands, becoming brighter and lighter in tone until it's a brilliant white at the centre.

Loud rumbles and cracking sounds vibrate around the air.

The light, now obviously flames, continues to expand to nearly encompass the whole building with pillars of fire randomly shooting out from corners where doors and windows had been.

Suddenly a deafening boom rips through the air, knocking the small child on the ground and a wave of heat hits him. Despite the distance from the flames it feels as if he is sitting next to a log fire.

The sounds continue to reverberate and dozens of car alarms noisily fill the air.

Pieces of burning debris flies through the air, flames licking up the length of the rubble as it flies.

Smaller pieces land at the ground and glow like sparks from a metal works factory.

A large piece of stone flies through the air at such speed the flames that surround it seem to struggle to keep up and appears a slight distance behind; mimicking the shape of the stone.

A hand reaches out to the small child, his ears ringing from the blast.

Standing up he looks at the devastation.

A tall dark man bears his teeth in a wide grin. His wavy neck length dark hair remains undisturbed from the blast.

The boy looks up at the man without any sense of fear, mostly because he doesn’t know how to process the scene. The institute ablaze, the streets littered with burning rubble and the air thick with smoke and dust.

The man crouched down to the child. Wearing an expensive burgundy suit laced with gold in a haphazard way.

The man looks impressed with the lack of fear in the child’s eyes, “you remind me of my boy" he says as his teeth are bared again in a wide and grotesque smile. His eyes flash a brilliant yellow-green with vertical slit shaped iris just like a cat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had originally intended to destroy the New York institute much earlier in this story but other plot points took alot of screen time up. 
> 
> I wanted this to be as if there was a season 4 and given that the sets were sold off that’s why I was keen for a new base of operations and a rationale as to why they are no longer at the institute.
> 
> This awesome video of a building explosion is what inspired the explosion of the institute https://youtu.be/bTUu4ZLtDSs?t=343


	9. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will Izzy survive the destruction of the New York institute?  
Magnus decides to have some stern words with his father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No smut but there is explicit and creepy language from the bad guy.

**\--- Scene 1---**

Alec and Jia are walking and talking about his return to a more active role following the bonding with Magnus

“Sir, we have an outage"

Alec looks over at the guy working on one of the computer stations that collate incoming data from institutes around the world; mostly to map patterns regarding demon attacks.

Embarrassed to have forgotten his name Jia simply says “what’s the problem solider”

“We’re getting no data from the New York institute servers.” He points a flashing red code on the screen.

Alec goes up to the computer and the guy moves aside. Alec starts typing away, “There’s a network of wireless cameras around and in the New York Institute. We should be able to access then directly if the severs are down.”

The guy looks at Alec funny. Alec simply explains “I used to head up that institution I know their systems inside out."

Screen after screen shows static and Alec can’t understand why. He tries one of the cameras further down the street which struggles to show much given the thick smoke but as it clears up slightly it becomes obvious what has happened.

This is not the first time Jia has seen the destruction of an institute, after all Jonathan had destroyed many. But she had never seen destruction like that which is on the screen.

Jia acts fast, on the intercom she calls for all available personnel to assemble in the main operations area and flips an alarm on.

Within moments the room has filled up with shadowhunters and downworlders. Jia had some reservations about the use of downworlders on the teams but this is very much Alec’s influence. This was truly a new generation of shadowhunters who are united in their battle against demons and will take on downworlders who will fight shoulder to shoulder. The exception to the downworlder inclusion, mostly due to the ongoing political difficulties, was the lack of Seelies which no one oddly seemed to mind.

“It appears in the last few minutes the New York Institute has been attacked and destroyed" Jia overlooks the units from a small raised platform. The crowd audibly gasp at the news.

“I’m deploying all available units now. Inquisitor Lightwood-Bane will be leading the search and rescue with units 1-5. Units 6 to 8 are working containment, I want glamours cast over a 2 block radius, encanto all residents and any emergency workers already on the scene or en route.” Jia nods to the teams. Each team has about 6 people, about half shadowhunters and a mix of downworlders. The team leader draws portal runes and they disembark quickly.

Jia just looks at Alec, “go"

Alec knows these people, he was head for sometime and now any of them could be dead, including his sister.

**\--- Scene 2---**

Izzy opens her eyes but the dust makes her eyes water. She thanks the Angel that she is alive, at least for a moment. Izzy tries to sit up but is overwhelmed with pain and can hardly raise her head more than an inch or two from the dusty rocky ground.

Placing her hand on her head it feels wet and sticky. Although Izzy sees blood when she looks at her palm she knows she is not bleeding out, there is too little blood for that.

Izzy tries turning her head which seems easier; maybe she can get a good look around.

The place is wrecked and it just looks like she is in a cave full of rubble. Izzy sees the body of a young shadowhunter who had recently transferred. She was clearly dead from being impaled by pipes.

Izzy closes her eyes and sighs at the sight. Izzy thinks about that poor girl and the tears well up. And it’s not just her; most of the institute must have been killed off in the blast. Izzy can’t help but feel she has somehow failed every single one of them. But no one has been able to do something like this before. Even Jonathan Morgenstern on his killing spree never blew up an Institution. 

Hearing noises like muffled talking nearby Izzy screams “HELP, OVER HERE”

Beams of light creep through the gaps of the rocks behind her. Izzy hears the sounds of rocks being moved and the light coming through gets stronger with each sound. She wants to turn around but looses consciousness.

When Izzy wakes up she sees Simon’s face looking down on her. He is covered in dirt and dust but despite the terrible circumstances he smiles like it’s his birthday when her eyes open.

“Hey, there you are" Simon says softly as he smiles and his eyes well up

Izzy goes to talk but it comes out like word soup; she is so disoriented right now.

“Si" Izzy manages to get out. She feels Simon’s hands squeeze hers. “It's ok. I’m here.”

Izzy looses consciousness again. Simon checks hers pulse and it is strong; he doesn’t need to place a finger on her, his keen vampire senses can feel the warm blood pulsing through her body.

“Hurry the fuck up guys" Simon shouts.

Magnus and Alec have moved most of the rubble surrounding Izzy but they see a large beam which her legs are pinned under.

“Ok, together, just like we practised" Magnus says to Alec. Looking into each others eyes the husbands thread both hands and raise them to eye level. Soft blue magic glows on either side of their heads where their hands meet.

Simon can’t quite make out their words as they mutter softly and gently in sync. Normally Simon’s hearing is exceptional but the loud noises of the rescue teams and fires still burning make it hard to hear clearly.

The beam starts to lift and Simon quickly slides Izzy out.

**\---Scene 3---**

“Where's Alec" Lorenzo asks as he uses his magic to scan the debris.

“He and Simon are stabilising Izzy" Magnus didn’t want to crowd them and there is so many more people in need of rescue.

A vampire working in Lorenzo’s unit shouts over to them and points at a direction “over here"

Lorenzo and Magnus move towards him. Magnus scans the area with his magic, “are you sure?” he is struggling to feel anything.

“Trust a vampire when it comes to smelling out blood" he glances over to them. There was a slight difference in smell of fresh blood just coming out of the body to blood which has been exposed to the air for even a few minutes. This was someone actively bleeding and therefore must be alive.

Both Lorenzo and Magnus magically move large stone blocks. Magnus notices the damaged concrete square frame running down. This was an elevator shaft. They keep moving the debris until they come across a battered metal container which they levitate up to the surface.

The whole elevator is dented all over and the doors are seemingly fused together.

Magnus finally manages to pry the doors open magically.

Lorenzo's eyes widen as he sees the badly battered and bloodied limp body of Andrew Underhill.

Lorenzo moves so fast, he is beside Underhill as if he opened a portal there from where was standing. He checks for a pulse and it is weak. Moving his hands over his body with bright orange magic he feels the internal bleeding. Magnus pulls out a stele,

“Where’s his Iratze?” Magnus asks. Lorenzo pulls up the sleeve on Andrews left arm.

Magnus activates the rune and joins Lorenzo in healing the internal bleeding magically.

Once the bleeding has stopped Lorenzo opens a portal to take him and Andrew away.

A medic calls to Lorenzo, “if he is stabilised we have other wounded"

Lorenzo shoots a glare that could kill. Magnus knows that while the medic is right and others need their help, Lorenzo was not going to leave Andrew.

Magnus holds his arm, bringing Lorenzo's attention back to him. “is there anything I can do" Magnus asks gently. Lorenzo face twitches, he wants to show appreciation to Magnus for the sentiment but he can’t move pass the sadness and fear he has for his unconscious boyfriend who is bloodied and bruised.

“Find the fucker who did this” Lorenzo shakes with rage, Magnus just nods and Lorenzo places his hand on the hand Magnus placed on him. He squeezes to show his appreciation before letting go and moving the portal to engulf himself and Andrew.

**\---Scene 4---**

“How many?” Jia gulps as she looks over Izzy who is unconscious in the hospital bed. Izzy has had to be placed as such to allow her body to heal as best as it can. Her injuries requiring surgery and much magical and angelic healing as possible.

“43 dead" Alec doesn’t break eye contact with his sister, sitting by her side he is quite tired and hasn’t slept since the recovery mission. “The official story?” he asks.

“A glitch in the software that regulates the power output from the angelic core. Other heads have been notified and a patch disseminated” Jia places her hand on Alec to consul him.

“People won’t buy it"

“Not for long but they will for now" Jia pauses when she sees Simon enter the room with Maryse close behind.

Simon had gone to get Maryse in person given the circumstances. He had run through New York at ridiculous speeds to get to her book shop.

Maryse can’t hold back the tears as Alec and Simon hold her from either side.

Jia makes a discrete exit from the room.

**\---Scene 5---**

Alec, Magnus, Jace and Clary sit down around the table with Jia.

Everyone looks very defeated and tired. Simon won’t be joining them as he stays by Izzy’s side who has yet to wake up following her medical treatment. It had been dire and morale was low.

“Underhill?” Jia plainly asks

“Safe with Lorenzo; Recovering" Magnus nods

“Underhill is one of us, he should be here" Jia tuts.

“You can be the one to raise that argument with the high warlock of Brooklyn.” Magnus quips.

“Never get in the way of the High Warlock of Brooklyn when he is in love with a Nephilim" Jace raises his eyebrow at Magnus

“You’ve set a dangerous precedence Magnus" Jia tries to force out a smile but is seemingly unable to. “The codex?”

“Out of clues. If only we could endgame this" Clary jokes. When everyone looks at her funny she clarifies, “go back in time, find the codex, and then return it once we had finished"

Jace pauses, “could you? Is there a rune?”

“Time travel? God no. There’s not a thing. At least not as you understand it. Some things are just laws of the universe that even runes can’t change! We can't go back in time. Something inside his overcrowded head I know there are ways to slow or speed up the flow or time but not reverse it" Clary bumbles.

“Shame, if only we’d be able to stop the institute from being destroyed" Alec sighs

“Pft, if only the codex we need was never lost" Magnus chimes in.

Jia tries to chuckle, “if only we didn’t have demons to fight- our world would be inverted"

**\---Scene 6---**

Alec smiles as he sees Izzy start to wake up, almost a reversal of roles from that of last week.

“I'll go get Mom, Jace and Simon" Alex sighs in relief but Izzy grabs his arms and squeezes tightly, “Don’t leave me"

“I feel like shit" Izzy moans, “my head kills, my insides hurt and my legs feel like I’ve been stabbed by shards of glass"

Alec lowers his head, “your...legs?”

“I mean the left one feels worse, the right one is more tingly" Izzy sighs as she struggles to maintain keeping the eyes open.

“You were hurt pretty bad" Alec swallows. Izzy nods with her eyes close, “had worse".

“No, you haven’t” Alec shakes her hand and Izzy opens her eyes.

“What do you mean?” Izzy is still a bit drowsy but she is alive and shadowhunters heal fast.

“We did everything we could, the doctors, the silent brothers, Magnus" Alec stutters and tears roll down his face

Izzy starts to shake a bit, “Alec you’re scaring me”

“I’m sorry, the concrete beam, we tried but couldn’t save it"

Izzy rips the blankets off her with force. With her free hand she clasps it over her mouth in horror as she looks down and sees her right leg which now ends just below the knee.

**\---Scene 7---**

To the outside world it looks like a run down construction site, a stalled building development which everyone locally now believes has been barren since the early 90s.

Amongst the piles of rubble Magnus is waving his hands flamboyantly as his magic sways along the surface like giant ribbons dancing in wind.

“Alexander what are you doing here? You should be with your family?” Magnus asks as he sees Alec emerging from a portal.

“OUR family!” Alec corrects Magnus, “I just need to get away for an hour or two. Need to feel not useless”

Magnus huffs slightly, the same reason he is here himself.

It had been 4 days now but Magnus’s mind plays tricks on him as he swears he could see the occasional piece of rubble still smouldering.

“Who ever it was, they covered their tracks. I’m not getting anything" Magnus sighs.

A vampire from unit 7 speeds towards the pair. Given the political climate in the New York clan and with a daylighter on the team the vampires had been quite keen to join.

“Inquisitor, High Warlock Bane" the vampire politely says, before his eyes widen as he stutters to correct his mistake, “Lightwood-Bane... High Warlock Lightwood-Bane"

Magnus chuckles, “It's fine, Whiteward isn’t it?”

The Vampires smile drops slightly, “it...was"

Alec felt terrible; Tom Whiteward had been a shadowhunter only just 5 months ago at the Budapest Institute before being turned. He had travelled to New York, having previously heard of a Wolf pack alpha that regained his runes and become Nephilim again. He had hoped there was something that could be done for him.

Magnus smiles at him, “still is". Magnus knows better than anyone that becoming a downworlder does not have to rob one of who they are or where they come from.

“You needed us?” Alec asks, breaking the silence.

“I was reviewing the security footage from the cameras and I think we missed someone when we did our sweep? You know to encanto the witnesses?”

Whiteward pulls out a tablet and hands it over to the two men. “This man here in the burgundy suit? He helps this child up to his feet following the blast”

The image is very grainy, and smoke and dust start to cloud the view of the two for a few moments. When it clears the boy is by himself.

“We didn’t encanto anyone in a burgundy suit”

“People were covered in dust and debris, he probably took it off or..” Alec is cut off by an eager Whiteward

“No but see, the boy was right outside at the time so we took down all the details, a statement before we, you know, there wasn’t anyone meeting the description during the sweep" Whiteward taps at the document now on screen.

“Where were they?” Magnus asks

Whiteward walks them to a point outside of the boarded up site. Over the road they stop at a street corner.

Magnus holds his stomach as he feels flutters of energy. “Got ya" he smirks, who ever attacked the institute may have been covered their tracks on the site but forgot or didn’t think to mask them over here.

Magnus gracefully sways his hands over the area and blue magical tendrils sweep the ground below him.

From the ground upwards the tendrils quickly become a deep red colour and crackles. When the tendrils have changed fully and the deep red colour hits Magnus fingertips he is flung across the street. Alec and Whiteward run towards him.

Alec holds his husband. Magnus’s eyes are wide with fear. He recognised the magic as if each persons magic could be sensed like smell or taste or sound. He knew the magic but the strength of it was overwhelming, more overpowering that Lilliths when she corrupted the laylines.

“God no"

**\---Scene 8---**

Izzy's face was raw from tears, no make up, no bad ass outfit, no heels. Izzy has never felt so naked.

Simon comes in with a tray of food. Izzy turns slightly in his direction and then back again to stare into the distance. “I’m not hungry”

Simon places the food beside her bed anyways. “Well I’ll put it here for when you are". Simon fiddles with his thumbs before sitting in the visitors chair next to the bed.

Izzy continues to stare into space, ignoring Simon and the food. But Simon is equally resolved and stays by her side for the next couples of hours.

Finally Izzy speaks, “You’re still here”. The tone is clearly a statement rather than a question. Simon’s head remains still but his eyes move towards Izzy and he simply and calmly responds, “yes".

“Why?” Izzy asks.

“Why? “ Simon repeats back with a hint of surprise. Does Izzy still doubt his love for her?

“Why are you with me? Even before this, why?” Izzy yawns slightly, exhausted by everything.

“We’re back to this again?” Simon sighs purposefully.

“I’m done. What’s left, I can’t fight, I can’t... what use am I, and what could I offer now that I’m...” Izzy can’t finish the sentence.

“You don’t think you have anything to offer?” Simon questions.

“I can’t fight, what use am I to the Angels" Izzy starts to sob.

Simon tries to comfort Izzy as she breaks down on the bed.

**\---Scene 9----**

Jia collapses in to her office chair, her hands overly touching her face. “You’re sure it’s Asmodeus?”

“I'd recognise that magic anywhere, but he is strong, like nothing I've ever felt before" Magnus squeezes on Alec’s hand seeking reassurance from his husband.

“It’s Asmodeus!” Jia smiles slightly and unexpectedly as far as Magnus and Alec are concerned, “He’s your father, let’s see if we can exploit that!"

Alec becomes protective, holding Magnus by the stomach and moving him behind himself. “And how are we going to do that?”

“We still have the Malachi Configuration, it worked on Lillith”

“It worked on a _weakened _Lillith, I don’t know if it could hold him right now" Magnus raises his brow at Jia.

“We also have a Clary” Jia smirks

**\---Scene 10---**

“I have someone who wants to see you" Simon knocks gently on the door.

Izzy doesn’t even bother to respond.

“Hello Isabelle”

Izzy shoots her head round at the familiar voice of Cleophas.

“Cleophas, what are you doing here?” Izzy stutters.

“Simon snuck me in. I heard what happened”

Izzy turns away from them both; unable to look either Simon or Cleophas in the eye.

“I heard what had happened to the institute, I’m so sorry” Cleophas places a large long case on the end of the bed. “Simon spoke to me and, well, we thought this might be something that...I hope you like it, Simon helped work out the design" Cleophas really struggles to get the words out.

Intrigued Izzy leans forward in the bed. She unlocks the case and opens the lid. Izzy’s face full of life and excitement again.

Izzy laughs for the first time since the explosion, “this is very cool" she smiles at her boyfriend, knowing it was his idea.

Izzy starts to cry and laugh at the same time. For the first time in a while Izzy felt hopeful even if everything was still such a mess.

“It’s Adamas, and like your whip it has a few tricks up it’s sleve" Cleophas beams at the sight of Izzy happy, “deadly, functional, a very Isabelle Lightwood piece if I do say so myself"

Izzy moves over to Simon and whispers _thank you_ in his ear. Izzy also thanks Cleophas more loudly.

**\---Scene 11---**

Magnus trembles and starts jumping about trying to psyche himself up. They had chosen an abandoned warehouse to try pulling it off. “This better work"

“It will" Alec places his hand on Magnus's chin, tilting it up and pulling his face towards his own. His lips move to meet Magnus's. Alec moans deeply into the kiss, almost loosing track of the world around them.

*ahem* Jace coughs. Dramatically he holds his arms out signalling to his Parabatai to draw his attention back to the mission. Clary can’t help but smirk at the pair.

“Herondale you buzzkill" Simon complains. Everyone turns to look at him with an inquisitive expression. “What? I ship them! I’m not the only one here that does!”

The room is full of dirt and dust. It’s musky and poorly lit. Magnus has already drawn the pentagram to summon his father.

2 teams join them; comprised of 6 shadowhunters, 1 warlock, 2 vampires and 4 wolves.

Everyone takes position. Surrounding the pentagram is the Malachi Configuration pre-arranged except with a notable variance, rather than the usual 4 blades creating a square, the soul sword is present acting as a 5th point and creating a Pentagon around the pentagram.

Clary nods at Magnus with her stele ready in hand.

“invokatai Asmodaum invas huhmaylay auwk Asmodayew fvalentay vaylyee"

The air crackles and tastes and smells like charred rotten meat. The ground vibrates slightly and the dust and dirt bounces as if on a speaker. The room darkens and a flash appears inside the pentagram, but it is the opposite of light, as if there could be such a thing as a flash of dark.

“Magnus" Asmodeus appears from the flash, grinning grotesquely and bearing his teeth.

Before he could take a step or utter another word Clary shoots heavenly light. But it’s not directed at Asmodeus but the soul sword.

The room fills with a bright light.

**\---Scene 12---**

Asmodeus eyes suddenly and sharply opens but he refuses to react as he feels the heavy chains.

“Hello father" Magnus tries to hide his disgust.

In a fluid motion Asmodeus rises from the ground still shackled.

“Chains? Really?” he shrugs never taking his eyes of Magnus.

“You’ll forgive us for taking every precaution” Alec snipes cautiously.

“Ah Alexander Gideon Lightwood, perhaps you’re accustomed to be chained by Magnus. I am not" a devilish grin crawls up on Asmodeus face. Alec barely reacts but Asmodeus relishes every delicious expression of discomfort by Alec no matter how minute.

“You may refer to me as Inquisitor Alexander Gideon Lightwood-Bane” Alec stands close to the cell they have constructed around him. Alec stands straight and unflinching as if to make a point.

“Bane?” Asmodeus tone is raised as he questions the new addition to Alec’s name. He sports a grin so large one might think he was to burst out laughing at any point.

Asmodeus launches himself towards Alec, in spite of the chains and the Malachi Configuration he presses himself up against the invisible wall that separates he and Alec. The ‘wall’ glows with sky blue energy where Asmodeus face meets it but instead of stopping him it bends as if made from a stretchy fabric. Asmodeus shouldn’t be able to do this but some how he can. Magnus hides his fear at the show of strength by his father.

The Malachi Configuration does stop him eventually but not before Asmodeus is less than an inch from Alec’s face. His arms stained backwards by the chains that Valentine once held Ithuriel with.

Asmodeus sticks out his tongue as if to lick Alec’s neck which it nearly does, close enough to feel the heat from his mouth.

“You must have the most perfect sweet little cunt, to get Magnus of all people to settle down. One can’t help but be curious how delicious it must taste" Asmodeus hisses, his smile as ever creepy and distorted, and his breath smells sweet and alluring and simultaneously putrid and rotten.

Alec not wanting to give Asmodeus too much satisfaction in his reaction breathes deeply to signal his boredom before turning to look at Magnus with an eye roll.

“My son has quite an appetite” Asmodeus continues to smirk, “tell me, do you have to keep the stamina rune on all the time? I presume you need your Iratze to walk straight, so to speak”

Alec bites his tongue, not wanting to respond. “Hundreds of years of fucking your way through vampires and wolves, warlocks and Djinns, and you settle for boring duty bound Nephilim just because he has abs and a tight hole?” Asmodeus continues to try and mock them.

Suddenly a bolt of light hits Asmodeus in his left shoulder, burning the clothes away down to the skin and burning at the flesh. Magnus is shocked. Firstly shocked by Clary’s anger as she stands with disgust on her face and her arm outstretched having blasted Asmodeus with heavenly light. But equally Magnus is shocked at how Asmodeus quickly heals.

Asmodeus laughter vibrates through the warehouse. “I must say, it’s an impressive cage" he runs his fingers along the edge of the invisible wall.

“The Malachi Configuration was designed to hold greater demons, and as you can see, we’ve reinforced it with a mortal instrument and powered it up with heavenly light- So I wouldn’t try anything if I was you" Clary scoffs

Magnus cautiously but in a smooth motion walks up to his father, “Does it embarrass you that you were vanquished by your own child?” he asks mockingly

Asmodeus grimace before blurting out “yes". His eyes widen at the admission.

Now its Magnus time to grin as he exchanges looks with Clary, “You’re right, the soul sword really works wonders on the Malachi Configuration”

“This won’t hold me forever" Asmodeus spits.

“We don't need forever; we just need for now" Alec closes in behind his husband and wraps his arms around his waist in a defiant stance towards his father-in-law.

“You blew up the New York Institute” Jace approaches.

“Yes, you should have been there! There’s nothing more enjoyable than seeing the rune covered flesh peeling off the bone as it burns" Asmodeus launches at Jace like he did before to Alec, “like the intoxicating aroma of barbeque and the delightful sounds of a slaughter house- like high pitched screams of pigs fighting to cling on to life"

“To destroy the apokálypsis codex?” Jace continues.

“No. What do you know of the codex?” Asmodeus smirks, “has someone been filling your heads with knowledge you shouldn’t have?” Asmodeus tuts in a condescending tone.

“Then why attack the institute?” Clary asks

“To steal the codex and hide it" Asmodeus grinds his teeth as he tries to keep quiet.

“Why hide it and not destroy it?” Magnus questions his father, sinking into Alec to help keep him grounded and feeling safe.

“It can’t be destroyed. Ironic" snorts Asmodeus

“Ironic? How is it Ironic?” Magnus pushes.

Asmodeus screws up his face, resisting the effects of the soul sword, his nose starts to bleed and he growls before snapping “because what is held within the codex only exists momentarily”

Asmodeus lets out a held breath and breaths heavily after trying to resist, “What do you know of the codex"

“Heavenly revelations, the words are copied then the original copy of the codex destroyed or something like that” Jace shrugs, “You explain it to us!”

“The apokálypsis codex is, for a lack of a better term, a history book" Asmodeus closes his eyes he won’t try to resist much more as it is taxing, “it contains a record of everything that has happened in the battle between Angels and Demons"

“big book" scoffs Alec

“Actually it’s quite small. See the text has a tendency of coming in and out of existence- I suppose you could say the text exists then is destroyed. To those who don’t know what it is, it would look like a blank book"

Clary groans, “Can’t anything be simple? Why would it do that? Be a blank tiny book”

“A record of everything tends to take up a lot of space and it continues to take up more. See the apokálypsis codex is continuously...updating.”

“It’s like a live feed on the battle?” Clary asks

“Where it comes from the deepest of mysteries but it is of divine creation of some description.”

“And this _existing momentarily_ thing, what’s that about?” Clary continues

“The relevant passages only appear when called upon. Flutters into existence, then out again, it appears then it is _destroyed_ until the next time it is called upon"

“So you don’t want us to see what you guys are up to?” says Jace

“Not particularly” Asmodeus rolls his eyes

“But there’s more? Something specific you don’t want us to know?” Magnus moves closer and bolder.

“Not me, another" Asmodeus eyes flash with a brilliant anger and his face contorts with distaste “who rescued me from the void and fashioned me into an instrument to suit needs, needs that are not mine"

“Great another demon supervillian type dude" Jace complains as he paces around Asmodeus, “like we haven’t had our share of _those_”

Asmodeus scoffs, “You’ve never met a demon”

Alec raises his hand sheepishly, “Hi there, killing them professional for nearly 20 years”

“As you are to the Angels, the _demons_ of Edom and the other lower realms are to the Demons of old" Asmodeus smiles grotesquely yet again, his cheeks scrunch up as the sides of his lips reach as far upwards as they will do.

In a flash Asmodeus swings his arm, the chains shattering as he continues his momentum towards to invisible wall of the Malachi Configuration. Sky blue energy crackles all around him and as if the wall were glass cracks appear in the air around him.

A massive blast of air emanates from the Malachi Configuration knocking everyone to the ground. Dust and dirt flies into everyone’s eyes.

Alec quickly stands up with his bow and arrow already in hand to see Asmodeus behind Magnus with his hand wrapped around his neck.

Alec’s eyes widen with fear “Let him go" he screams. Everyone else gets up into an attack position but waits for Alec’s lead.

“Take me; take me instead" Alec begs

“Tempting, I am curious what Magnus sees in you first hand” Asmodeus tightens his grip on Magnus, “you don’t mind sharing with family, do you boy?”

Magnus feels the rage bubble up in him and with what little power he has jerks his head back, smashing his skull into Asmodeus nose. It didn’t break as Magnus had hope but it did bleed a few drops of blood.

Asmodeus laughs before a portal appears behind him and he pulls Magnus through with him.

Alec runs towards the portal as they vanish and the portal closes behind them.

**\---Scene 13---**

“I wish you had let me join them on mission" Izzy huffs slightly

Jia mumbles, offering a glass of scotch as they sit either side of Jia's desk. Izzy not one to decline downs the glass.

“A woman after my own heart" Jia smiles, “Have we heard anything from Alec?”

“It seems to be playing out like we expected" Izzy reaches for the bottle of scotch to top up her glass.

“I suppose there is no harm in you joining them then; if everything is under control" Jia nods.

Izzy can barely contain her glee.

As she lifts herself up from the chair a sharp clang sound can be heard.

Izzy heads towards the door, her Adamas leg is as near perfect replica of what was there before, it even mirrors the shoe of the other foot. Like a sereph blade it is covered in runes and scribing.

Izzy hesitates for a second and turning round to Jia through her smile she says “I guess I better put my game face on"

With a sharp stomp to the ground the leg loudly clinks and has changed in shape to an elongated octagonal pyramid the same diameter and length as before. Each edge is razor sharp and as the pyramid tapers towards the ground it ends in a sharp point at the base. It shatters the marble floor tile on impact.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments :) They make my days!
> 
> For Izzy's leg, I took inspiration from Viktoria Modesta | Prototype Dark Dance - watch at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQUmrBnhgF4
> 
> This chapter was a pain to write and involved 3 or so rewrites.  
I do however need to take a few days recovery because I'm spending so alot of time on this- today alone I have been writing/proofing for about 4-5 hours. I love you guys but these fanfics take a while to do so I do need to have a break for a few days. I hope you guys understand. 
> 
> I aim to post weekly- it shouldn't be delayed much (if at all!) for the next chapter so make sure you click that subscribe button


	10. Interrogation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asmodeus has captured Magnus but Magnus is no fool.  
And who is pulling the strings behind everything so far?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explicit/Smutty Scenes labled

**\---Scene 1---**

Asmodeus releases his steely grip on Magnus’s throat and quickly moves them to Magnus's wrists where he binds them with Magic. Breathing in deeply he takes in their new surroundings. As they cross the nave towards a replica of his old throne sits at the centre of a chancel Magnus looks up at the lack of roof, “you and open air homes, what’s with that _dad_”

Asmodeus shrugs of the comment, “it was like that when I got here"

The Building is plain and the windows unornamented; the arches along the nave are thick and several storeys tall.

“Surprised you went for Cistercian or a monastery at all actually". Magnus notes various demons lining the nave but swarming around the transepts. “Where are we?”

“Kirkstall Abbey, England. Of course the place is glamoured from the mundanes" Asmodeus stops in his tracks, pivots on the spot and brings his face closes to Magnus’s. His expression one of intense curiosity as he studies Magnus.

“Huh" Asmodeus finally says as he pulls away. “It seems there are some...after effects, from your inventive use of the soul sword". Asmodeus had studied his sons face for a sign of betrayal or trickery as to why he still found himself compelled to tell the truth. The only conclusion he can reach is the effects of the soul sword are lingering; in which case it shouldn’t last too long, hours perhaps.

Asmodeus snaps his fingers and a contorted demon awkwardly moves and twists its body as it brings an old fashioned wooden chair, nothing as ornate as Asmodeus's throne which is still a small distance away.

Magnus flinches as the demon grabs him, its skin is covered in a thick sticky dark tar and it reeks of sulphur.

Magnus is placed firmly in the chair by the demon which moves its limbs over Magnus in the most grotesque fashion.

“Why take me?” Magnus asks as he is strapped to the chair.

Asmodeus flashes a look; Magnus could have sworn it was hurt had he not known better, “You’re a royal, not an attack dog for the enemy”

Whilst the demons finish with straps to bind Magnus's feet to the legs of the Chair Asmodeus walks the distance to his own throne. He gracefully pivots to face his son and lowers himself on the chair.

“You plan to interrogate me father?” Magnus nods his head towards to binds that hold him.

“Seemed rude not to return the favour. But I prefer to think of it as father-son bonding time" Asmodeus conjures a large glass of brandy. Swinging his leg around the arm of his throne he swirls the brandy before talking a gulp.

“What did you mean, earlier, these _super demons_ that have you running scared" Magnus scoffs

Asmodeus face flashes a brilliant shade of red, twisting his hand Magnus chair scrapes slowly across the floor towards his throne. The screech is inhuman, like claws on a chalk board.

“I'm...” Asmodeus tries but can’t lie, he wants to act as if he is not but the truth is compelled, “If you were smart you would be scared too!”

Magnus contemplates the response; Asmodeus had been many things but never scared, not even of Lilith.

“What makes this demon so...threatening as to make the prince of hell its trembling bitch" Magnus smirks but is quickly struck hard by Asmodeus. Magnus wrenches, turns his head to a side and spits out a mouthful of bloody salvia with a few teeth.

Just as swift as he struck him Asmodeus waves his hand over his sons face as new teeth painfully grow in place of the ones he had only moments ago lost.

“As I said, you’ve never met a _real_ demon” Asmodeus sits back done.

“Explain" Magnus demands as if he was in a position to do so, “And if you’re _not_ a real demon what does that make me, I have demon blood after all"

“Downworlders”, Asmodeus scoffs, “humans whose bodies are corrupted, but we...” gesturing to the demons that surround him, “we are beautifully and perfectly corrupted in our very souls”

“I was never human" Magnus wrenches in the chair.

“You’re mother was, her egg was of her nature” Asmodeus continues to swirl of brandy.

“And I gave you a gift, elevated you, and yet you still turned out...” nearly wrenching at the words, bile rising, Asmodeus's face visibly disgusted, “...good"

“I was human once” Asmodeus admits, “like you my soul was lacking. You could become so much more, if only you would open your heart to the truth"

“You used to tell me you were a fallen angel?” Magnus questions

Asmodeus laughs, “Oh there are fallen Angels, but like their kin they do not come appear in the mortal realms often. Still if one wants to dominate Edom one often lies about their pedigree if one hopes to subjugate the others"

“Lilith didn’t hide her origins"

“Yes well her claim to fame was that like her husband she was brought into the world by the creator itself" Asmodeus scoffs, “stuck up bitch"

“So Downworlders have their bodies corrupted and demons have their souls corrupted?” Magnus tilts his head asking for more from his father, made talkative from the after effects of the soul sword.

“Is that hard to believe, Lilith corrupted many souls when she was in your realm, beyond mere possession I think you’d agree" Asmodeus steps out of the chair and glides towards Magnus.

Asmodeus tilts the glass of brandy and placing it on Magnus lips. Magnus refuses to part his lips at first but a sharp yank to the back of the head by the hair moves him to comply. Removing the glass Asmodeus smiles in his usual grotesque teeth bearing fashion. With his finger he wipes a drip from the corner of Magnus's lips.

“That a boy" he smiles.

“So these fallen Angels?” Magnus probes

Again Asmodeus tries to resist by changing the subject, “Is there nothing else you’d rather discuss? First there was the word and then there were the Angels. Angels, or at least the interesting ones, became corrupted and so the demons of old were born. Then came the humans, and like the Angels before them, many became corrupted and became the demons of the realms of Edom and other such domains.”

“And a fallen Angel saved you from the void of limbo, how is that possible?”

“Search me" Asmodeus laughs like thunder.

“The demons of old have not shown such influence, or even manifested in our realms for over 10,000 years. Something changed in the battle between the Angels and the demons; relatively recently. I don’t know what, but I'm guessing that’s why they don’t want you having the codex.” Asmodeus again throws his leg over his chair as he sits

“So you hid the codex here?” Magnus looks around at the 900 year old ruins unimpressed.

“You think I would hide it so poorly? Of course not" he is almost offended by Magnus; he was a prince of Edom, a demon of royalty, not some amateur.

“Then where, it’s not like I’m going anyway soon. Tell me" Magnus would shrug if he could.

“I threw it into another dimension, the one without shrimp"

Magnus sighs and Asmodeus smirks. Magnus knows why he is smirking.

“Quantum signatures” Magnus sighs as Asmodeus nods.

“And what happens to me now?” Magnus asks.

“You rule at my side” Asmodeus sighs, it is one if the few things he truly has ever wanted, for Magnus to be at his side.

“You can’t think I would be happy doing that or being without my husband"

“You can bring him if he promises to play nice" he huffs

“You, who tried to split us apart?” Magnus raises an eye brow.

“If you stay on the side you are fighting you will both die. If he joins us, maybe he can be saved as I have saved you now" Asmodeus places his hand reassuringly on his sons shoulder. “There is no stopping what is to come, you are either on their side or you're dead"

“And you chose your side" Magnus huffs

“I chose _your_ side. I chose to save you my son” Asmodeus cringes at the admission.

Asmodeus's face twitches in surprise as the straps that bind Magnus seem to disappear for a few brief moments.

Magnus sighs, “Well, our time is up but it has been most helpful”

The chair itself starts to flutter from existence and Magnus rises.

Asmodeus steps back, his eyes wide and expression confused.

Soon the demons and the walls seem to flutter as if bad static on an old TV set.

“What is this magic" Asmodeus almost whispers in shock.

“Not magic, runes" a familiar voice speaks and as the world around him dissolves Asmodeus sees the face of Clary. He snaps his head around the room looking at Magnus, Clary, Alec, Jace, the other shadowhunters and Downworlders from before.

He looks down and sees the chains still at his arms and the Malachi Configuration.

**\---Scene 2---**

**\---Earlier---**

_“_ _Magnus" Asmodeus appears from the flash, grinning grotesquely and bearing his teeth._

_Before he could take a step or utter another word Clary shoots heavenly light. But it’s not directed at Asmodeus but the soul sword._

_The room fills with a bright light. Everyone on instinct shields their eyes and when they open their eyes they see Asmodeus on the floor of the Malachi Configuration._

_Alec and several other showhunters raise their weapons and point it towards the greater demon._

_“Move fast he won’t be unconscious long" Alec barks, he looks towards Clary “I guess you were right" _

_Clary smiles, “It was all Ithuriel”. Clary had explained that not only could the soul sword enhance the Malachi Configuration, the effects of any abilities or runes directed through it would permeate the cell and anyone held within it._

_“You're right...so far" Magnus snipes_

_“Have faith Magnus” Clary bends down towards soul sword and starts drawing a rune on it, “I’ll do my job if you do yours"_

_“Remember everyone, I’ll be able to project what he is seeing, play along with the illusion as long as you can. And concentrate! Your illusionary self will only react as you direct it to within the confines of his fantasy" Magnus sweeps his arms around flamboyantly as streams of blue light run from Magnus and through Asmodeus._

_Magnus had been dubious about the plan, but it was still their best hope. He knew the Malachi Configuration wouldn’t hold Asmodeus forever, even with the soul sword. But maybe if they could trap him in an illusion they could hold him long enough to interrogate him with the soul sword still compelling the truth._

_“Showtime” Alec sighs as he sees movement from Asmodeus_

_Asmodeus eyes suddenly and sharply opens. But he remains in the ground._

_Magnus sees a shadowy version of himself next to the cell. Magnus throws a glance at Alec, “have I put on weight" he whispers as he sighs._

_Alec glares at his Husband and mouths “focus"_

_Concentrating on his own shadowy form intensely the illusion speaks “Hello father"_.

**\--- Scene 3---**

“Impressive" Asmodeus spits. The rage was written all over his face. His fists trembled and his face was red and contorted.

With all his will Asmodeus pulls on the chains and the metal links began to stretch and buckle. Snapping the chains with force Asmodeus brings his fists to the invisible barrier surrounding him which becomes stretched and fractured.

“NOW" shouts Clary, all the shadowhunters draw runes on the hands and Asmodeus is hit with several beams of heavenly light.

His clothes burn and his flesh bubbles. Skin dissolves revealing a dense muscular frame but the muscle is a deeper shade of red than a human; almost black. Thick Black Ichor leaks from the tissue. But as fast as his flesh burns he heals, his body regenerating at great speed.

The barrier disintegrates and Asmodeus walks towards them unfazed by on going assault.

One of the wolves launches at Asmodeus. His cat eyes widen until there is nothing but his pupils, a deep black tinted with the occasional flecks of a dark shade of yellow and green.

Asmodeus grimaces in annoyance at the wolf fast approaching him. Swiftly he reaches out grabbing the wolf by its thick furry neck.

The wolf claws and whimpers as Asmodeus tightens his grip further crushing the poor wolf’s wind pipe. He twists his hand leading to a harrowing crunching noise as he snaps the neck.

A slight whimper echoes in the room as the wolf’s last breath escapes. Everyone in the room can hardly contain their rage and sorrow.

Alec fires a volley of arrows; one straight through Asmodeus's eye. The arrow head pierces his skull on the other end.

Asmodeus laughter is creepy and disturbing. He places his hand at the back of his hand and in one fluid motion pulls the arrow all the way through dropping it on the floor. He heals almost instantly.

“Maybe it’s time to get to know my daughter-in-law a bit better" he mocks as he glides towards Alec.

Something flies through the air with such a speed it’s a blur and Asmodeus doesn’t see it coming.

“ARGH" he bellows. His face scrunched up in pain. Tilting his head he sees he is impaled on a large Adamas spike, the metal burns and he struggles to heal whilst it is still lodged in his sternum.

Izzy flashes an expressive grin of disgust and pride in wounding him with her leg.

“Izzy you said you would stay back" Alec panics. She had joined them during the interrogation but Alec was concerned given recent events.

Asmodeus strikes her with such force Izzy is flung across the room, the hole in Asmodeus's chest starts to heal but much slower.

Alec fires a portal rune at the Malachi Configuration, the soul sword and the dead wolf. The portal sweeps them back to their base and then remains in place as Alec calls for a retreat.

Most of the team makes it through the portal. But before they can all make it Asmodeus, who still has a gaping hole in his chest, grabs Magnus just like in the illusion.

With only Clary, Izzy, Jace and Alec remaining they fear the illusion will come true.

“Stupid children, you can’t fight this" he spits.

Magnus twists his arms held in place by his father, he can’t move it much but one hand he manages to place on his father’s chin. He can’t hope to push himself off him but tries regardless.

Alec’s eyes widen with fear, he can’t lose Magnus for real.

Then there is the slightest moment, where the rage and fury of Magnus disappears as his thoughts are consumed by Alec, of being with his husband, loving his Husband, never wanting to part with his Husband.

Magnus’s eyes glow, an orange fire colour unlike his usual cat eyes but rather akin to the glow when a shadowhunter activates a rune without a stele.

A brilliant light blooms from Magnus’s hand and heavily light burns Asmodeus's face with great intensity.

Asmodeus screams releasing Magnus and bringing his hands to his face.

Magnus wonders if he has exerted too much energy as Asmodeus clearly struggles to heal; but he is still healing just slowly.

They can’t keep this up and run for the portal. As they head towards it Alec deglamours a large number of containers dotted around the room.

Alec nods towards Jace, who knows to follow through on their back up plan.

Jace pulls out of his pocket a detonator and flips the switch just as he disappears into the portal behind Alec, Izzy, Clary and Magnus.

“Oh come on!” Asmodeus whines as the room around him bursts into powerful flames, the force knocking him to the floor and roof caving in on top of him.

**\--- Scene 4---**

“That’s for New York” Izzy smiles as Jace comes through the portal and it closes. Izzy felt that it was justice that they should blow up a building with Asmodeus in it after what he has done.

“We don’t know he is dead. The power he has right now, he could have survived" sighs Magnus.

Jia walks through to the room, glancing at the dead wolf and deeply sighing at the loss, “Tell me it was worth it"

Alec nods solemnly.

“Briefing room, when you can...” Jia pauses and looks towards the wolf, 2 shadowhunters from that team hold the wolf they had trained with for sometime, clearly upset.

Simon rushes into the room and throws his arms around Izzy, “why didn’t you tell me you were going to join the mission"

Izzy squeezes Simon back. She knew if she had told him he would have protested, just like Alec did when she first arrived. But she needed this, needed to be a shadowhunter again. Izzy was not going to let all of this change who she was.

Jia leaves to let the team take care of their fallen ally.

**\--- Scene 5---**

“The Abbey in England?” Simon asks as he overlooks the rest of the group sitting round the briefing table.

“The York institute and 3 of our teams took care of it, they didn’t see us coming until it was too late" Jia pours a glass of water. The poetic justice that Asmodeus’s forces were wiped out by an institute based in York, the ancient English city from which New York had been named after, was not lost on her. “We also managed to recover several artefacts which we are analysing to see if they have any worth"

“Magnus, you mentioned quantum signatures during the interrogation? What was that about" Clary asks

“Pretty much everything in this world resonates with a quantum signature unique to this universe. The same is true in all universes.” Magnus sighs, “If you place something in a universe it where it doesn’t belong that universe would reject it. Like magnets the object and the universe would repel each other.”

“I’ve travelled to another universe Magnus" Clary points out.

“Not in your body, you had to inhabit that universe’s Clary. See only a few things don’t have a signature, blood, portals shards, fluoride toothpaste for some reason" Magnus explains

“That’s why a Seelie gateway to other dimension works the way it does, why you inhabit your counterpart “Jace adds

“So can’t we use Seelie Magic to get the book?” Jia asks

“The Seelies only know a couple of the millions of alternative universes that exist. Besides the book would only exist in an alternative dimension for a day or 2 at most before being flung into another random dimension as it is rejected” Magnus places his hand on the bridge of his nose rubbing it, “it could be anywhere. That’s why Asmodeus hid it that way"

“So it’s lost forever" Alec shows his frustration in his expression.

**\--- Scene 6---**

**\---Explicit/smutty scene---**

Alec’s brow was covered in beads of sweat and the multi-coloured lights reflected off him. The base of the music oscillated through his very bones.

The club was crowded and Alec lost himself in the music. His chest was covered only by a black mesh vest that displayed his muscular body brilliantly. Wearing one of Magnus’s skin tight pants Alec was a vision.

After everything that has happened these past few months Magnus had convinced him they need a night out. Alec had suspected Magnus needed a distraction from thinking about his father and he trusted Magnus knew what he needed right now so didn’t make a fuss of it.

Over the years Magnus had pushed Alec to be more comfortable in the more hedonistic world, at least occasionally.

Alec’s eyes were fluttering between open and closed as he just felt and enjoyed the vibrations in the air. A familiar pair of hands wrapped around his waist from behind.

Alec would recognise those arms anywhere. As his Husband pulled himself close to Alec his breath dances on the skin on the back of Alec's neck and sends tingly shivers down his body.

Alec pushes back; grinding his shapely ass into Magnus’s groin. It doesn’t take long for Alec to feel a growing erection pushing up against him.

Twisting his arm back over his shoulder he grabs the back of Magnus’s head. His fingers running along the scalp and through Magnus’s hair. He pulls Magnus closer, until Magnus’s lips are on his nape. Magnus’s lips on his skin are pure ecstasy and the occasional use of tongue gently brushing over the soft, fair and delicate hairs drive Alec wild with lust.

Alec’s own growing erection is obscene as it presses against the tight material. When Alec was in this kind of space, it was permission to be free from the boundaries life in the Clave had instilled. A space where he allows himself to indulge in ways he never knew existed until Magnus came along. In his usual habitat, the slightest display of public affection was somewhat reserved. But in _this_ place, Alec gave zero fucks that his thick hard cock was visible to everyone. The idea they could all see Alec fall apart grinding against the sensual Magnus Lightwood-Bane like this was hot.

But eventually some mundane would complain to security. Avoiding downworlder bars had its pros and cons, Alec was freer to play with Magnus as no one would recognise him but it was rarely as wild as a downworlder rave.

Rather than waste the erection Alec turned to face Magus. His make up framed his beautiful cat eyes, at a club like this he can simply palm them off as contact lenses.

Looking at Magnus didn’t help calm his erection, Alec took in every detail. The heeled boots brought Magnus up just those few extra inches to surpass Alec’s height. His black Jeans held by a plain belt from which chains were looped along one side, the denim stained to contain Magnus’s cock.

Above the waist was equally a treat. Magnus wore a red shirt, although Alec thought that was a loose interpretation. The red shirt was unbuttoned except the one nearest the belt. Magnus’s chest was adorned with several necklaces or various lengths, on reaching below the single fastened button and another highlighting his Pecs. Lastly a black velvety jacket sat over the red shirt.

Alec leaned in to kiss Magnus. It was a kiss filled with hunger in their eyes but tenderness on the lips. Alec moaned grotesquely as he felt his Husband slyly slip a finger into his waistband from behind. Slowly tracing its way down his ass until it reached the rim.

Magnus pulled his spare hand from Alec’s hair for a moment and clicked his fingers.

Alec moaned and smiled simultaneously as he felt ass become heavily lubricated and slick. He bites his lip hard as the Magnus’s finger slides in easily.

Alec was getting fingered in public and loving it. He loved playing the greedy whore to Magnus’s impressive appetites.

It was only 1 finger but the fact this was happening under dozens of oblivious mundane noses heighted the sensation. Especially as Magnus found himself circling Alec’s prostate.

Magnus stops and slowly pulls out much to the disappointment of Alec who whines. Magnus smirks and grabs Alec by the hand and drags him off to a quieter section of the club and round a corner where no one was about.

Magnus reaches into Alec’s pocket and grabs his stele. “Not what I expected you to grab there" Alec teases.

Magnus brings the stele up to Alec’s right shoulder. Alec grabs Magnus hand before he can activate the rune, “Magnus, being glamoured invisible is not a good idea in such a crowded dance floor”. Whilst they could make themselves invisible to mundanes, they could still bump into people. In crowds this can be more of a problem than remaining out in public.

“We won’t get caught, and it’s not the dance floor were going back to" Magnus smile is devilishly handsome as he activates the rune on Alec before drawing one on himself oh his left bicep.

Now invisible Magnus pulls Alec back into the club and heads to the bar in the VIP section. It’s much quieter than the others.

Magnus walks behind the bar unseen where only 1 bartender is working at the opposite end.

Magnus sees a shot that has been poured for a patron standing at the bar on his phone.

“Will it?” Magnus asks coy. Alec nods picking up the shot glass it immediately becomes part of the glamour. He lifts it to Magnus’s lips, which part and swallows the shot of vodka. “Of course it will. Imagine if it didn’t, you would have had a floating glass" Alec laughs.

The patron looks down and sees the shot is gone. Puzzled he searches across the bar. Alec places the glass back down and in moments the mundane sees the empty shot glass and assumes he has had too much to drink and is getting a bit forgetful.

“So you wanted us invisible. Why?" Alec smirked.

Magnus almost innocently states “because I can’t wait to get you home and I wanna do this”.

Magnus turns Alec around and pushes him into the bar, Magnus yanks down Alec’s pants at the back and falls to his knees.

Alec looks over at the other end of the bar where the bartender seems to be moving very little. Alec’s arms rest on the bar surface, he looks back round briefly and notes to himself there is not much space behind a bar.

On the customer side, the mundane from earlier is drinking a soft drink, at least for now. Alec’s face is so near his; he can ever see what he is typing on his phone. Which is an exchange to someone Alec assumes is the guys wife. The exchange is about how this guy is stuck in the office late. Alec shakes his head “little shit".

He considers pranking the mundane but he feels the sudden but familiar sensation of Magnus’s tongue at his rim.

Alec can be as loud as he likes with the rune active.

Alec’s groin is pushed uncomfortable against the bar as Magnus devours his cunt. “More” Alec begs as Magnus slides more of his tongue into the sensitive bundle of nerves.

After 10 minutes or so Magnus decides that as much as he loves eating his husbands perfect pink hole, he needs to feel it envelope his cock.

Standing, he leans one arm on Alec’s shoulder and with the other guides the thick head of his cock to Alec's very slick hole.

Alec moans are delightfully slutty as he feels the head drag along the rim and pop through. For a moment he thought he might be so loud that some how the mundane would see and hear him.

It doesn’t take long for Magnus to bottom out. He places a flurry of tiny and sensual kisses along Alec’s nape, shoulders and upper back while he gives Alec a moment to adjust to the monster warlock cock deep inside him.

Alec starts to roll his hips and push back; he can’t wait for Magnus to start so takes some action himself.

Magnus moans as the warm soft walls rub against the head of his cock. “How do you do that” Magnus moans, “how do you make every inch feel like its being driven wild with sensation"

“Because my pussy was built for your cock Magnus" Alec smiled riding the waves of euphoria.

Occasionally the bar tender came close to them but never right to the end where they were.

Magnus had built up a healthy pace and the drag on Alec’s prostate each time he slides in or out of Alec’s ass was nearly constant.

Alec’s own hard cock had been released from the tight pants that contained it. He lifts one leg into the bar and his hard cock flops onto the bar.

As tempted as he is to touch his own cock Alec loves when Magnus makes him cum just from penetration so begs just for that.

“Please keep going” he begs Magnus.

“You close baby?” Magnus smiles as he sees the fluster of red in Alec’s cheeks; face and ass.

“So close, keep the tempo I don’t think I can last much longer"

“You’re such a perfect bottom husband, look at you. About to spill over this bar and spasm around my cock just by getting fucked. You’re not even touching yourself” Magnus whispers in Alec’s ear which tickles him.

Alec can’t even talk, just nod, moan and say the occasional “yeah" in agreement.

The bar is become wet with Alec’s delicious precum which is oozing out with every stroke.

Alec starts breathing heavier and heavier and Magnus sensing this picks up the pace slightly.

“Fuck fuck fuck" Alec screams, “baby I’m cum...OH FUCK”

Ropes of cum spray from Alec’s cock, each spurt flies across the bar and onto the floor. A couple of ropes fly onto Alec’s own face, dripping down his nose and lips.

Each spray sees Alec’s cock pulse and bounce. In his ass the walls contract powerfully around Magnus’s thick cock and the warlock can’t contain himself.

“Alec here it comes" he warns.

Instinctively Alec pulls Magnus deeper in, not wanting to waste a precious drop as he feels himself being filled to breaking point with warlock seed.

“FUCK, ALEC, FUCK, FU....CK" Magnus collapses onto his husbands back. His eyes half closed as he enjoys the after glow. He doesn’t want to pull out but as he softens after a few minutes it happens naturally.

Magnus and Alec pull their pants back up and head back to the corner from earlier to de-glamour.

Magnus takes Alec back to the VIP lounge and Alec collapses onto the sofa. He needs some recovery time before he hits the dance floor again.

Magnus heads to the bar to order some drinks, taking pride in seeing the bar oddly wet and sticky and the bar tender confused as to why.

When Magnus returns with 2 drinks he smiles at his adorable husband. “Sweetie you have some" he points at Alec’s face at the streaks of cum that splashed on it earlier.

Expecting Alec to clean it off, Alec smiles “I know"

“Do you want me to" Magnus moves towards him with a napkin.

“don’t you dare touch this badge of honour" Alec grins before leaning to kiss Magnus, a few strings of cum trail between their faces as Magnus pulls back from the kiss to take a sip of his drink. Magnus laughs; this has been a good date night.

**\--- Scene 7---**

Jace lay still in bed, not wanting to disturb a sleeping Clary. But the urge to reach out was too much. Running his hands over her hair he smiled blissfully. He had no idea how he survived a year without her.

Clary’s eyes flutter as she starts to wake up. She is greeted by the sight of Jace, handsome as ever, his mismatched eyes were dreamy, his hair dishevelled and the corner of his lips curling into a smile.

“Morning” Clary croaks out still half asleep.

“Morning" Jace replies still playing with her hair.

Clary’s eyes widen and her expression becomes alert. She jumps out of bed and quickly throws on a t-shirt lying by the bed and a pair of jeans.

Jace becomes a bit insecure but jokes “ok I know I have morning breath...”

Cutting him off Clary bends down and kisses Jace passionately but briefly, “I know how to get the Codex"

She runs out of the room and Jace jumps out to go after her. Placing one leg into some trousers and jumping to shimmy himself into them he falls over in his rush to get dressed. “Clary wait up"

**\--- Scene 8---**

“Fray?” Simon asks in a concerned tone.

“I’m fine Simon, just let me, just let me work" Clary is standing over a magnifying glass, soldering what seems to be circuit boards.

“She’s been like this for 20 hours straight" Jace sighs.

“I’m getting Jia" Simon says.

“I’ve already talked to her, she thinks we should let Clary do whatever it is she is doing and see what she comes up with" Jace shakes his head

Clary mutters under her breath, “I’m right here"

The tiny filaments of solder contain traces of Adamas and Electrum.

Simon looks behind them at the wall which Clary has covered with a series of equations containing various magical symbols.

Magnus and Alec walk into the room, “Biscuit, you called for me?”

Magnus stops and looks at the wall, studying the equations and gasping in shock “well blow me!”

“Later" Alec smirks to which Jace and Simon rolls their eyes at.

“Ithuriel pulls through again huh?” Magnus says playfully

“Does that look right to you?” Clary asks as she takes out the chip she has been working on and starts on the next.

Magnus sighs and runs over the equations, studying them intensely “You’re insane you know, but brilliant"

Clary never takes her eyes off her work but smiles at the comment, “can you do it?”

“Yeah I can create the Anchor” Magnus scratches his head, “you sure _that_ will work" motioning towards the tech Clary is creating.

“Sorry Jace not following, Jace very not following" stumbling on the words Jace holds out his arms to ask what the fuck is going on.

“Clary is creating a device that will detect an object with a specific quantum signature. A bit like a how a Geiger counter works with radiation.” Magnus looks over to Clary “and track it between dimensions. Clary this would be able to distinguish which alternative universe the object would have jumped to when repelled out"

“Bingo" Clary smiles, “but its more than that!”

Magnus continues explaining the equations, “It would encapsulate a user in a bubble that would allow them to jump dimensions with the use of a...” Magnus sits down shocked.

“with use of this Rune" Clary throws her sketchbook at the 4 men.

“But wouldn’t you be flung out of the dimension like the codex" Simon asks, “lost forever?”

“Eventually we would be repelled out, but like any object, including the codex, we would have some time; a couple of days tops. But not lost no" Clary continues to solder

“Clary needs me to create an anchor, so that when flung out of the other universe you would end up back here, like an elastic band snapping you back to this dimension" Magnus explains.

It would take a day or so for Magnus to create a magical component meeting the specifications on the wall.

“We’re seriously contemplating hopping around dimensions? It can’t be that easy" Alec is dumbfounded

Joining in Simon proclaims “It's not, have you guys never seen the TV show sliders.”

“Oh" Magnus hesitates when he sees more of the wall.

“Yea, that’s the tricky part" Clary shrugs

“The rune can create the jumps, the device is what navigates. But to power this thing we are going to need..." Magnus twitches at the idea, “Glorious"

“The sword?” Jace raises his eyes brows

“Just a little fragment"

“Oh no that’s not tricky it all" Alec can’t help but mock the ridiculous situation.

“Would glorious 2.0 work” Simon shrugs, “the sword Izzy made?”

“It might actually, and we still have some fragments from when it exploded” Clary nods

“Glorious 2.0?” Alec cringes, “that’s what we are calling it?”

**\--- Scene 9---**  
\---Minor Smut---

Izzy and Clary are giggling in the base canteen. Izzy is looking more like herself everyday; her usual smile is almost always there and framed by her signature red lipstick. Clary had suggested they have a girl’s lunch as they rarely had time to just hang out the last few months.

“Don’t tell Jace" Izzy laughed

“I’m not saying overall Simon or Jace is better than the other but Simon was the best I’ve had when it comes to foreplay" Clary smirked

“For me the sex is best because it _is_ Simon but yea his foreplay skills is urgh" Izzy daydreams, “I mean he has talents of someone much more...experienced"

Clary bursts out laughing loud enough for a few of the others in the canteen to turn their heads wondering what they were talking about.

“Oh and that vampire speed? Who knew it applies to the tongue too" Clary smirks.

Izzy smiles, “Oh god tell me about it".

Soon Izzy's smile dissipates, “but ever since...ever since the institute...” Izzy can’t finish the sentence.

“Is he not, _you know_, I mean he probably just wants to give you space to get used to things since then" Clary offers a reassuring smile and holds her hands on the table.

“No it’s not that. He is totally back to it" Izzy chuckles, “It’s just, he isn’t fazed. Like it’s just like before, almost"

“That’s a bad thing?” Clary raises an eyebrow

“I just don’t get how he can find this...attractive" Izzy sighs heavily.

“Ok stop!” Clary takes a swig of her glass of water, “You’re doing that thing again. You’re projecting. Like when you were trying to get him to fool about with guys"

A single tear escapes Izzy's eye which is quickly wiped away, “I guess your right”

“Of course I am; I’m your Para...” Clary stops dead in her tracks. She looks down and plays with the food on her plate.

“I’m sorry we never got to" Clary’s eyes well up, “you must be so disappointed”

“You save us, at great cost. I’m so proud of you Clary. In my mind we are Parabatai” Izzy smiles.

Clary nervously smiles, “same"

**\--- Scene 10---**

The metal girders creaked as they start to slowly lift out of the rubble before lifting up with force and speed as Asmodeus bursts through the dust and shards of roof and plaster board.

Stretching his neck as the wounds heal Asmodeus complains, “I fucking hate those kids"

Stretching after being trapped in the rubble Asmodeus doubles over in pain when he hears a booming voice in his head.

“ASMODEUS" the voice boomed, “I AM NOT BEST PLEASED"

“they ambushed me" he cowers

“You have power to overcoming a summoning- you _chose_ to allow it. Your desire to rescue your son will be your downfall Asmodeus"

“Forgive me” Asmodeus pleads, “Have I not proven my worth? I have kept the codex out of their hands"

“You have given them enough, enough information for them to recover it" the voice is piercing in Asmodeus head. The stress starts to show on his body as thick black Ichor seeks from his ears as the voice overwhelms him

“I am still of use to you" he begs

“For now. But fail us again Asmodeus and we will not honour our arrangement”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I told myself I would do a short chapter and release early as I'm away for my sisters birthday for half a week.  
Naturally this meant I've written most likley the longst chapter in the story lol
> 
> From the very start I wanted to have an AU chapter or two so I've been building up to that.


	11. The ground beneath their feet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The political landscape is fast shifting and trouble is coming.   
Jace sees Alec is a whole new light. Simon and Jace bond over sci-fi and sex.   
And Underhill, Lorenzo and Luke have something to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I said I would try and take a few days off, and somehow instead, I wrote my longest chapter yet?   
Enjoy- ps there are a LOT of smutty scenes but they are labelled if you want to skip them.

**\--- Scene 1---**

**\---Explicit/smutty---**

“Fuck yea Magnus" Alec moans as his husband’s thick cock slides in and out of him. The drag along his prostrate drives him wild; he never gets tired of feeling full with the sensation of that big 9 inch mocha dick.

Magnus picks up the pace of his thrusts, his skin slapping against Alec’s perfect round ass.

Magnus can’t help but admire his Husband as his face is scrunched up; lost in the pleasure of getting fucked hard. Alec’s legs are loosely wrapped around Magnus who is standing with his arms under that perfect ass. Even though Alec is a tall muscular man, Magnus seems to have no problem lifting him up only to let gravity do its job as Alec falls back down on Magnus’s cock.

Alec buries his head in Magnus’s shoulder, panting heavily with his arms wrapped around Magnus’s upper back.

Alec’s cock, although always heavily leaking precum seem to dribbling out even more copious amounts than normal as his cock is sandwiched between his and Magnus’s chest. The friction on Alec’s cock is intense as it rubs between their stomachs on every up stroke and every plummet back down.

Magnus had promised it would just be a morning quickie before work but they had already been half an hour. Magnus dismissed any concern of being late, after all this was a quickie by their standards.

Alec’s face was flushed red from the heat and the blood pumping. He knew he couldn’t last much longer. He kept whispering in Magnus’s ear praises.

Sensing his rising orgasm Alec tightened his grip to bring his and Magnus’s chest as close together as possible as his slick cock slides between them. It drags along Magnus’s abs and the bumps from those muscles brought Alec to the edge.

Finally giving in, his toes curled and he moans loudly as he starts to spasm and spray cum all over their chests.

“Yea Alec, cum for me. Show me how much you love your ass being filled with cock"

Magnus’s own orgasm is quickly building up as Alec’s ass clenches and squeezes with rapid pulses in time with each squirt of his own cock.

“Fuck" Magnus shouts. He pulls Alec down once last time to bury his cock as deeply as he can as he fills Alec’s ass with what seems like gallons of warm cum.

Alec doesn’t want to get off. He feels the cum start to dribble out and down Magnus’s shaft and onto Magnus's still pulsating balls.

Still keeping his cock deep inside Alec he collapses onto the bed behind them, Alec on his back.

Flicking his hands a small black smooth plug appears.

Magnus smirks, “I want you to wear this"

“The wont possible hold in all that cum babe" Alec smiles as he pulls Magnus into a deep passionate kiss.

Starting to feel himself soften Magnus pulls out and places the plug deep into Alec’s ass.

“You know you love the idea of walking around with my cum deep inside your gut"

Alec couldn’t argue with that, he loves the idea of being at work with a cummy hole filled with his husband's seed.

Alec lays down still panting but he is determined to carry on the conversation they were having before his husband distracted him by whipping out his thick cock earlier, “are we gonna talk about the other day?”

Magnus looks at Alec, a quivering beautiful mess next to him.

“I don’t know what else to say"

“You shot out heavenly fire at Asmodeus without drawing the rune with a stele"

Alec brushes Magnus’s floppy sweat soaked hair off his forehead

“I told you I don’t know for sure how I did that” Magnus remembers the first time he drew the rune in training with Alec, it was known to be a powerful rune in the shadowhunters arsenal and Alec was keen to get him drawing it after they had bonded.

Shadowhunters could activate runes on their body without the use of a stele but the heavenly light rune didn’t linger on the body like the stamina or strength rune.

Magnus had pondered how it happened but couldn’t get work out answer.

**\--- Scene 2---**

**\---Explicit/Smutty elements at the start---**

Alec struggles to sit comfortably. The plug kept most of the cum inside him but it still can’t stop it entirely dripping out.

When there’s a knock at the door Alec dare not get up to open it as Magnus’s cum had already left quite a wet patch on his pants and his chair.

The very thought of Magnus’s cum inside him meant he had been fighting to stop himself getting erect all morning although he had failed at that a few times already. He wasn’t going to risk getting up and exposing his delicate situation.

“Come in"

The door opens and Horace Dearborn confidently walks through.

Alec feigned a smile. Horace was a putrid individual who had been one of the candidates for inquisitor before loosing to Alec.

“Mr Dearborn"

Any risk of getting an unwelcome erection was quickly gone with Horace’s presence. A vile man whose beliefs were the very antithesis of Alec’s.

Rising out of his seat, but carefully as to not turn around or give sight to the wet seat, Alec reaches out a hand which Horace shakes with his rather large hands.

The both sit down and Alec notices Horace’s subtle wiping of his hand on his clothes. Horace for the most part hid his disgust but it was well know he saw Alec’s relationship with a Downworlder as a perversion.

Alec looks at the large build man. He had broad shoulders and although large was not muscular but rather bony. Horace brushed his blond hair from his forehead to one side, revealing more of his rather plain face.

Alec always struggled to read Horace’s face, it always seemed expressionless but his actions spoke volumes. On the council he had staunchly opposed every measure to build better links with the Downworld.

“What can I do for you?"

“I wanted to pay my respects, after the New York institute; well I know you must have had many friends there. And your sister? Well I was so sorry to hear of her injuries"

Horace’s tone was flat and his face expressionless the entire time.

“That’s very kind of your Mr Dearborn" Alec was biting his tongue, “but I presume there are other matters you wish to discuss?”

“Indeed Mr Lightwood"

“Lightwood-Bane" Alec pointedly responds

“Of course, my apologies”

Alec finds the apology empty, there was no attempt to use Alec’s surname after being corrected.

“You must be so busy in this role; I understand you have been spending a lot of time these past months hidden away behind that desk. You're rarely seen outside these doors.”

“Life of an Inquisitor, the paperwork is hell”

“It must be disappointing; I know how keen you were to bring about real changes before your appointment"

“Disappointing? Mr Dearborn?" Alec mocks

“We’ve never seen eye to eye Mr Lightwood"

“Bane"

“Yes of course. Mr Lightwood..._Bane_. But I have been singularly impressed by your commitment to the role, especially given your previous clashes with Consul Penhallow. Although I believe she has warmed to you since your appointment"

“Is there a point which you are trying to reach Mr Dearborn?"

“I’m just curious if you have warmed to her as well?”

Alec still can’t get a read on Horace's face, if he was to guess it would be saying _slap me I’m a prick _but that was just Alec’s personal take.

“We have a professional relationship. The inquisitor’s job after all is about enforcing the law, not making it. If you have concerns that I have an agenda..."

“Whilst I have been impressed that you seem to take on the role and serve the Clave without inserting your own biases, I wanted to make sure you were not too attached to the current Consul”

“Current?” Alec raises an eyebrow

“I’ve heard some disturbing rumours Mr Lightwood"

“Bane"

“Yes, Bane. I’ve heard disturbing rumours about Consul Penhallow. More often these days she seems to disappear for hours on end goodness knows where”

“I’m not surprised Jia is a busy woman, I assume she has many engagements"

“Well one would assume that yes. But last week, when I went to see her, her office informed me that she was on a diplomatic mission involving a vampire Clan in the Shetland Islands"

Alec hides his concern.

“Yes I believe I heard something about supporting the local Clan in gaining access to adequate blood supplies. As I understand it, it is quite the winter vacation hot spot for vampires, 18 hour nights during the depths of winter you know! I’m not surprised they want help ensuring supplies so the locals don’t get cornered by belly rumbling tourist vamps"

Horace nods slightly, “Only a contact at the Aberdeen Institute told me that the local Clan on those Islands had been wiped out by a hostile wolf pack just last month"

“Could your contact be mistaken?”

“Perhaps. Still, Consul Penhallow seems away often and during the last few months there seems to be an increase in demon attacks if the various contacts are to be believed?”

Alec huffs slightly, “Are you suggesting...”

“I’m not suggesting anything. But your loyalty is to the Clave not the Consul, correct?”

“It is"

“I’m sure there must be an innocent explanation but I do feel it would help calm some members of the council if the inquisitor could discretely look into the matter”

Alec understood the implications, the council ultimately could overthrow Jia and whilst his influence is not large, Horace's influence was strong over those that supported him.

“I will look into it if you feel it will offer reassurance to members of the council"

Horace stands and offers a simple nod, as he walks out of the door he thanks Alec backhandedly “Thank you Mr Lightwood"

**\---Scene 3---**

**\---Explicit discussions/Moderate Smut---**

Jace knocks on Simon’s door, wearing a big grin whilst holding a Stargate DVD box set.

Answering the door Simon shakes his head, “Dude you are not ready for another sci-fi franchise"

“You were going on about it for ages last week, how could I not"

“How did I turn you?”

Jace winks at Simon who becomes slightly awkward

“I mean into a closeted sci-fi geek"

“I don’t know, kind of just happened” Jace laughs, “but same rules are in effect, tell anyone and your dead Lewis"

“This so reminds me of this guy I knew in 7th grade called Tyler" Simon’s eyes roll.

“I just want to watch DVDs Si"

Jace gently punches Simon’s arm, which leads to a slight glance from Simon.

“That’s what Tyler said too" he banters.

“What’s gotten into you today, you seem off"

Jace had grown so close to Simon over the past year and quickly picked up his tells. Izzy had loved that they had became friends and more than just superficially so; her brother and her boyfriend getting along meant the world to her.

“Izzy... it doesn’t matter" Simon gets flustered.

“It took me months before I shipped you two so nothing better be wrong" Jace crosses his arms, “plus as much as your my number one, if you’ve upset Izzy I’m bound by brother-logic to kick your ass"

“Firstly you are soooooo not Picard. I’m Picard, you're...Worf"

“_Ouch_”

“Secondly, it’s not the kind of thing I should discuss with her brother"

“Sex?”

Simon nods sheepishly

“So you’re inexperienced, read a book!”

Simon scowls at Jace and his fangs drop

“It's nothing _I_ did!” Simon protests.

“Dude you might as well tell me, Izzy will just tell Clary who will just tell me"

“Izzy and Clary _do not_ talk about sex with us with each other"

“They _so_ do" Jace laughs

“What, what do they say" Simon asks horrified.

“Oh come up, people talk about their sex life with their friends. What happened?" Jace slumps into Simon’s green couch and pulls out of his bag a beer and another bottle of beer for Simon.

Simon doesn’t take the bottle at first.

“It’s mixed with blood" Jace holds the bottle out again and Simon grabs it and takes a swig. “So?”

“Izzy tried to fngm" Simon goes so quiet at the end it’s just muffled noise.

“What?”

“Izzy tried to finger me" Simon can’t look Jace in the eye saying it

Jace bursts into hysterical laughter, clutching at his chest and wiping a tear away as he settles.

“That’s it? That’s the issue?”

“I just... I don’t want her thinking she needs to fill a guy shaped void. I thought we had dealt with those insecurities that I’m some how missing something not being with a guy" Simon takes a massive swig of his blood beer

Jace gets serious and looks Simon in the eye.

“Are you sure that’s what it is?”

“Why else would she" Simon sighs

“Si, it’s 2019, it doesn’t mean it’s to do with your sexuality. Just more people get that guys have a prostrate and it feels good"

Simon just stands there blinking

“Clary finger fucks me all the time" Jace admits, “doesn’t make me any less straight"

“You get fingered?” Simon’s face is full of surprise.

“I mean why should she be the only one in our relationship that does?”

“She never tried that with me" Simon almost sounds relieved

“Just stop getting hung up on assumptions about what sex you think men and women, women and women, and men and men have. If you’re not into it because you’re not into that’s fine. But don’t dismiss it because you’re worried it means anything more than it is”

**\---Scene 4---**

“Dearborn isn’t an idiot Jia, if he gets enough support on the council he could push through a vote of no confidence"

“Dearborn supporters maybe extremely loyal but he doesn’t have enough support to pull that off"

Jia offers a glass of scotch to Alec, with a shake of the head he declines. Jia sits down at her desk with her own glass.

“You’re right he is not an idiot and neither are you! He knows I’m the _moderate_ _consul_ who bridges the relationships between those who are worried about sweeping reform and those that want better relations with the Downworlders”

“If he finds any dirt on you, if he finds out about what we have been doing he could pull support from the moderates and split the vote"

“He knows if that was to happen you would be the most likely successor who will push a more radical agenda publicly than I, and the moderates would choose you over his isolationist agenda. You're the darling of Idris, who under your leadership we defeated Lilith, destroyed Edom, and stopped Jonathan Morgenstern- he won’t risk it" His swallows her scotch.

“I’m the Inquisitor, I’d be expected to run the election, and I wouldn’t be eligible to be a candidate"

“If there was a vote of no confidence there would a transition period, most of my powers as Consul maybe stripped during that time but I would still have authority to accept your resignation and appoint an interim Inquisitor until the Council has elected a new one"

Jia slides the glass she previously offered to Alec along the desk, this time Alec accepts it and takes a gulp.

“Let me worry about Dearborn” Jia reassures Alec, “I promise I’ll deal with it once I’ve returned from the Lagos institute"

Alec nods, Jia will only be gone a day or two to help finalise and broker a peace treaty between 2 neighbouring Seelie tribes.

**\---Scene 5---**

**\---Explicit/Smutty---**

Magnus stands at his work bench, focused on finishing the small component for Clary’s device. It’s a small magically infused ruby; it was well know that certain gems and metals could be infused with different types of magic. Magnus stirs the potion he has been working on for the past few hours. Soon he will need to submerge the ruby into the mixture and allow the magic within the potion to permeate the small gem.

His work space was typical Magnus, fine decor, beautiful wood surfaces. The long work bench faced the main entrance to the room and to the side a doorway to his study. Along the long side of the bench facing the main doorway was a tall cupboard, only an inch or so taller than the bench, filled with various ingredients and mystical objects. From the ceiling hung various herbs and botanicals drape down.

Alec leans against the door frame from the office. Taking in the sight of Magnus working intensely. His husband was a vision, wearing a black leather kilt overlapped and fastened at the side by 3 large brass rings. In place of a traditional Sporran a matching plain leather pouch sits near the side. A burgundy plain shirt with a granddad collar hugs his muscular frame.

*Ahem* Alec tries to get his attention

“Yes sweetie"

Magnus doesn’t turn his head.

“Magnus" Alec says a little louder

This time Magnus turns and his jaw drops slightly. Alec is dressed up in a pair of very short and tight black boxers, his 8 inch cock already semi hard and creating a sightly bulge. A long-line sleeveless t-shirt shows off his muscular arms and covers the top of the boxers, only revealing them fully as Alec moves.

“Why husband, are you trying to seduce me?

Alec just smirks.

“I’ve got to get this done. I promise I won’t be too long and then I can leave it to stew overnight.

Magnus turns back to his work. He hears a short snap and a slight flash of light from the corner of his eye and turns around to see Alec, teasingly biting his lip and now full naked. Alec’s cock hung down mesmerising Magnus.

Magnus shakes it off, “Sweetie I promise, I won’t be too long and then I will more than make it up to you"

Magnus returns his focus as he hears a huff from Alec. He feels slightly bad but this is important work.

Magnus adds another ingredient and then freezes as he feels his kilt being raised and a warm mouth engulfing his cock. Looking down he sees one of Alec’s hands on the floor peaking out from under the table. He feels the other hand cupping and playing his balls.

“I’ve got to work" Magnus moans and sighs at the same time.

Magnus feels the warmth leave his cock but it still feels wet with saliva.

“You can still work. You work on your thing; I’ll work on my thing"

“technically it’s my thing you’re working on" Magnus chuckles.

Magnus tries to regain his composure. He stirs, adds an ingredient, swirls his hands as he magically affects the mixture. All this whilst feeling his husband slides his wet warm mouth up and down Magnus’s 9 inch shaft. As he bobs on the erect cock, Alec runs his tongue expertly over the veins that throb along the silky length.

They carry on for sometime and although Magnus manages to hold his shit together, enough to keep on track with the work, Magnus was at the edge of loosing himself to the intense pleasure his Husband provided.

The main door to the room slides open and Magnus’s eyes quickly open to see Jace.

“Hey Magnus"

Magnus was thankful that from that angle Jace can’t see under the bench due to the cupboards. He had hoped that hearing Jace’s voice Alec would stop but instead he felt the suction increase and Alec started taking Magnus even deeper. Magnus could feel Alec's nose buried in his pelvis. 

“Jace, what brings you over" Magnus keeps his composure but it comes across as blunt.

“Nice to see you too Magnus"

“Sorry, just, this is very intense"

“Yeah intense stirring" Jace mocks, “Clary just wanted to see how you were getting on with the anchor, you close?”

“Oh you have no idea Jace" Magnus struggles to hold it together, especially as he feels a hum around his cock as Alec chuckles slightly whilst continuing to suck.

“I need another hour to get this ready then it just needs to simmer over night"

“Hey that’s great. Clary is nearly done too. Is Alec about?"

“He’s...umm...working"

“Yea he does have his hands full these days"

Magnus’s lips curl into a slight smirk as he thinks “_his mouth too"_

“You ok Magnus, you seem a little, I don’t know...off?”

Magnus knows he is flushed slightly red. He is thankful the bubbling of potion is loud enough to cover up the occasional small sounds Alec makes.

A deep humming vibration surrounds his cock as Alec moans quietly. Magnus looks down and whilst Alec is mostly out of view he does see the ropes of cum shooting across the floor from under the bench. A few shots land on Magnus’s shoes.

The sight of Alec cumming, the feel of Alec moaning on his cock, and all the build up from Alec’s expert blowjob tips Magnus over the edge.

Magnus starts cumming and Alec holds his balls. After a few squirts Alec pulls off to enjoy the sensation of Magnus’s cum splattering his face and soaking him. Alec is flush with heat from working on his Husband and the warm cum feels hot on his skin.

Magnus clenches his teeth slightly as he tries to hide his orgasm from Jace.

Jace however lifts his shirt slightly and runs his hand over his Parabatai rune, it feels slightly warm. Although he doesn’t feel Alec’s orgasm itself he recognises the sensation of contentment from previous times. Although Alec mentally blocked the bond out during sex, if Jace was in close proximity, like during his first time, Jace knows what has happened.

Jace raises an eye brow and walks around the bench.

“Oh for fucks sake Alec"

Jace groans as he briefly sees the glimpse of Alec dripping in cum, Magnus’s still hard cock in Alec’s mouth as he sucks the last few drops of cum out of his Husband, the floor sprayed with cum and Alec’s throbbing dick held tightly in Alec’s fist.

“You couldn’t have just asked me to go?”

Magnus shrugs sheepishly as Jace walks out the room, “next time Clary can check in on you herself"

As soon as Jace leaves Alec bursts out laughing and Magnus is right behind him

**\---Scene 6---**

“Underhill, Lorenzo" Alec calls out as he sees them walking through the corridors.

Magnus smiles as he sees them both again and Alec throws his arms around Underhill. Lorenzo seems anxious as if his boyfriend was still fragile and might break.

“I’m glad you’re ok...both of you!”

“Well I put him on bed rest but Andrew was insistent on getting back to work” Lorenzo mutters, “Shadowhunter boyfriend’s are annoyingly head strong”

Underhill plants a soft kiss on Lorenzo’s cheek and Lorenzo blushes, his bristly demeanour softens.

“Try being married to one! Hundreds of years younger than me and Alec _still_ won’t listen to sage advice half the time on these kinds of matters”

“Well actually we thought we might just try that” Andrew beams as he shows off his engagement ring. Alec inspects it closely with glee, it’s stunning, and a band of brilliant white gold with a thinner band either side of rose gold. The white gold band has etched 20 squares running along it’s circumference with a diamond at the centre of each square.

Magnus hugs Lorenzo as an old friend. It had only been a year since they put their old rivalries aside but Magnus had grown to care deeply for him.

“Congratulations" Magnus beams, Alec is quick to agree and wish them well.

Lorenzo pulls Alec into a hug

“I’m sorry during the recovery mission that I didn’t stay to help further...It’s just...Andrew...” Lorenzo struggles to find the words. He had spent some time healing and looking after Underhill.

“It’s quite alright. I know the feeling; there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for this adorable husband of mine" Magnus reassures Lorenzo. Alec beams with pride and Underhill just pulls himself into Lorenzo’s arms for a cuddle.

After a few more exchanges of hugs and pleasantries each couple makes their way. Lorenzo and Underhill head to ops and Alec and Magnus to the labs.

**\---Scene 7---**

Alec and Magnus step into the lab room. Alec notices Simon, Izzy, Clary and Jace already there and chatting amongst themselves.

“The gangs all here" Alec chuckles

“I believe you need this biscuit” Magnus gleams whilst holding out the ruby component.

Clary grabs it and with sheer excitement places it carefully into the device. The device is a circular item, with a diameter slightly larger than a CD and about an inch thick. When the ruby is placed inside a wave of purple energy blasts out and dissipates. Clary screws the cover on.

“We’re ready” Clary says with pride

_Beep beep_

“WAIT"

Everyone turns round Alec shaking and holding his phone

“Alec what is?” Jace and Magnus can feel the panic through their bonds.

Alec draws quickly a portal rune, “It’s Jia"

**\---Scene 8---**

Alec looks over the body of Jia solemnly.

“I want a full autopsy” Alec says

“Inquisitor, we’ve already done it" Dominic Hilltree, the head of the Lagos Institute sighs.

Alec flicks through the report, the DNA samples, dental records, they all match; this must be Jia.

“It doesn’t make sense Dom, those Seelie tribes were both so eager for peace, why start a battle at the signing of the treaty. And even if they did start fighting, I know those leaders; they held Jia in such high esteem”

“It seems she got caught in the crossfire Alec, I’m so sorry”

“Dom, do you not find it just a bit convenient that her entire security detail and all the Seelies present wiped each other out? Not one witness survived?”

Dominic raises his brows. He agrees it is odd none survived but all the evidence did point to a fall out between the parties.

“Why didn't you portal out?” Alec whispers as he bends down next to the body.

Even though it is a whisper it’s enough for Dominic to hear, “she didn’t have a warlock in her security detail, it would hardly be common practice Alec you know that"

Alec nods, but he knows Jia herself could have used the portal rune, Dominic did not know this.

“Inquisitor”

Alec cringes at the voice of Dearborn behind him.

“Delegate”

“This is a travesty” Horace Dearborn shakes his head tutting, “Our dear Consul, assassinated by Downworlders. Of course I tried to warn her of the dangers of pursuing such a radical agenda"

“With respect, Mr Dearborn, I’m not sure we can call this an assassination yet"

“I’m sure the council will make its own mind up on that" Horace says as he picks up and flickers through the report.

“I’m sure it will, once I have released to them my findings”

“Does this need further investigation? Seelies have slaughtered our leader, a blatant attack from the Downworld I think you would agree"

“I will not give in to speculation until I have concluded my investigations and collected and examined every facet of the truth" Alec struggles to hide his frustration

“_Your_ investigations? A man who whores himself to a warlock like a broad mare" Horace spits

“Yes, _my _investigations. In the event of the death of the Consul, it is the Inquisitor not the Council who has jurisdiction for the investigation"

“The law is the law" Dominic interjects.

“I will also take an apology for that vile remark" Alec demands arms crossed

Dearborn simply walks out.

“What a delightful man:” Dominic rolls his eyes, “You know when there is an election that ass-hat is going to run and use this incident to galvanise support from the isolationists"

“Yeah I know" Alec sighs.

“You know if you are thinking of running you’re going to have to hand in your resignation to the council"

Alec cheeks puff as he silently blows out a lung full of air.

**\--- Scene 9---**

Izzy approaches Clary in the lab. Clary is visibly frustrated at the delay. Clary is agitated and Izzy recognises the sign of her playing with her hair and tapping the table.

“The council has called for an emergency meeting of the Clave"

Izzy runs her hands through her would be Parabatai’s hair seeking to calm her.

“Izzy, the longer we delay the more AUs we need to jump through"

“AU?”

“Alternative Universe, seemed to make sense to abbreviate it" Clary shrugs before she rubs her forehead and let’s out a groan. Tired of all the delays she jumps out of her chair.

“I know its frustrating Clary, but it’s only for a few hours"

“Do you really think this will be solved at the Clave meeting?” Clary shakes her head and starts pacing the room

“Resolved? No but we need to know what is going on before we can decide how to proceed"

Izzy brings her arms to Clary’s, massaging with her fingers as she holds her by the shoulders.

**\---Scene 10---**

Clary looks out over the packed public gathering in Angel Square. It reminded her of a concert, there were 15, maybe 20,000 present. It made Clary wonder how many shadowhunters there were. Alicante had a population of about 30-40,000 and more who lived outside of the city. There were nearly 600 institutes around the world in most urban areas with over a million mundanes, each with between 65 and 135 shadowhunters each.

“Members of the Clave, these have been dark times. Jia Penhallow has been killed trying to broker a peace treaty between 2 tribes of Seelies in Lagos. Inquisitor lightwood-bane is currently conducting investigations into the specifics of what happened"

Elena Larkspear was a moderate on the council and seen as a fair voice for them at this public announcement. She along with the other members of the Council, some 100 delegates at least stood on the Balcony of the Accords Hall to address the crowds.

The shocks and gasps in the massive square are deafening.

“Today is a day of mourning but soon elections must take place, we can not be allowed to stop in our holy mission given to us by the angels"

Dearborn stands up to address the crowd.

“Inquisitor Lightwood-_Bane_”

Alec stands before the crowd

“I believe I speak on behalf of the whole Council when I thank you for your dedication. We have all been impressed by you're commitment to justice and your work has been exemplary. I know you will continue in this fashion as Inquisitor, as you conduct these elections"

Alec feigns a smile.

Izzy sighs in frustration “fuck"

Clary nudges Izzy, confused, “Why would Dearborn want Alec to continue I thought he hates him"

“Only the Consul or the Council can accept the resignation of an Inquisitor”

“So?”

“Alec can’t run for Consul if he is the Inquisitor responsible for running the elections. Alec said he was going to hand in his resignation letter prior to the address. Dearborn must have convinced the council to keep him in post and reject his resignation”

It isn’t like Alec can simply quit against the wishes of the council or the consul either, the Nephilim society is a militaristic one. Unless a resignation or redeployment request is approved by the appropriate superior a shadowhunter can’t just quit without giving up his place within the society of shadowhunters entirely.

“There are also rumours that the Angels have cut off communication with the Clave. Their presence and influence has not been felt in sometime and I’m sad to say the council has been investigating this matter and found them to be true" Dearborn announces.

Elena eyes dart at Dearborn, it was too late to take it back but the council had agreed not to disclose that information.

The shock gasps from the crowds were fierce. It was obvious to many that Dearborn would use this to stir up fear and blame the recent political agendas for both Jia’s death and the Angels influence diminishing.

Izzy grasped Clary’s hand tight. Almost as if they were Parabatai, Clary could sense the concern radiating from Izzy as people started to talk amongst themselves. They asked why they had been abandoned, why the Angels would cut themselves off from the Nephilim.

**\--- Scene 11---**

“This is a disaster" Jace flings himself on the seat at Magnus and Alec’s loft.

Alec flicks his wrists and a cocktail appears in everyone’s hands.

Izzy takes a sip but vocally and visually looks grossed out.

Magnus takes a sniff, “Well that’s not right"

Magnus waves his hands and the drinks glow for a moment.

Magnus takes a sip, “better"

Alec pouts and Magnus finds it adorable. He plants a soft kiss on those pouting lips, “keep practising"

“How did Dearborn get evidence about the Angels" Clary asks.

“Doesn’t matter it was bound to come out eventually!” Alec sighs as he curls up into Magnus on the sofa.

“He has already announced his candidacy. With out a credible candidate to stand against him, he will win" Jace shakes his head, taking a sip of the cocktail he looks at Magnus and asks “Could you not make this a beer"

Magnus shoots him a look, as if he had committed a crime for daring to complain about having one of Magnus’s famous cocktails.

“His revelations will solidify his supporters in a belief that all our work reaching out to the Downworlders has angered the Angels" Izzy says, she plays with Simon’s hair as he rests his head in her lap.

“Alec, you hold a lot of sway, people would overwhelmingly support you for Consul. Many of the moderates will see you as unorthodox but you get the job done.” Jace scratches his head and Clary strokes his arm to comfort him

Simon runs out of the room to grab something from the study but not from Magnus’s stuff but a book case filled with books belonging to Alec.

“Umm chief?” Simon runs back into the room holding a thick and dusty old book all pertaining to laws regarding the role and function of the Inquisitor. He points at a specific page.

Alec's eyes focus intensely on the passage and everyone wonders what it says. His grin grows wide, “Simon I could kiss you"

Simon blushes viable and Izzy teases, “Hands of my brother”

“To be fair he is kind of Simon's type: Dark hair, sassy and strong, the Lightwood good looks" Jace snorts

“Simon, hands off Izzy’s brother and my husband" Magnus laughs, feeling completely unthreatened, not because Simon isn't attractive but because Alec only has eyes for him and Simon is completely in love with Izzy.

Simon curls back up to Izzy who plants a massive kiss on his cheek leaving lipstick “and remember _the law is the law_”

Alec chuckles at Simon’s mocking tone, it reminds him of Magnus when he wanted help with Izzy’s trial all those years ago.

“I get that this is important but we also cant put off the mission any more either" Clary states, “We need the codex"

Alec stands up and crosses his arms, “Ok this is how it is going to go down, Clary, Jace, Simon and Magnus will go on mission. If we are to stop Dearborn I need to be here and I need Izzy"

Izzy pouts and Alec brows drop as to say _sorry I know you wanted to go on the mission_.

“Izzy, as head of the New York Institute you’re a symbol right now. One we need”

Alec wasn’t wrong; Izzy could be a symbol of defiant resistance.

Magnus admires his Husband, he loves when he gets into his _shadowhunter mode_. But as cute as he was right now Magnus wasn’t having it “Sorry husband, but I’m not going anywhere. If you think I’m leaving you to face this on your own you’re mistaken. Besides I’m the high Warlock of Alicante- if Dearborn rises to power my people are at risk”

“I’m also going to need help from an old friend" Alec smirks as he gets his phone out and starts to look up his contact list.

**\--- Scene 12---**

Alec walked with confidence through the Accords hall where the Council chamber was based. Its marble columns and floor were opulent and in keeping with what Alec has come to expect of the council.

His footsteps echoed through the hall as he approached the Council, sat in rows of red leather cushioned oak benches that lined the clerk and table officers at the centre of the room.

“Inquisitor Lightwood-Bane, we were not expecting to see you so soon" Elena glanced.

“I came to inform the council that I will be stepping down as Inquisitor"

Dearborn's usually expressionless face turns slightly sour.

“Mr Lightwood, only the council can accept your resignation and we do not" Dearborn states calmly

“Only the Council... and the Consul"

“Who is dead" Dearborn reiterated

Alec pulls out the book Simon had shown him and places it and the table at the centre. Elena Larkspear approaches the book and smirks as she reads it.

“And as the Consul is dead most but not all powers transfer to the council. The Consuls right to accept the resignation of the Inquisitor and appoint an interim Inquisitor until the Council has elected a new one falls under the Consuls powers regarding staffing and those rights are amongst those that transfers temporarily to the Inquisitor in the event there is no Consul in office during an election" Elena tries to hide her amusement at the political manoeuvring from Alec.

Dearborn snatches the book, and huffs “You can’t expect us to accept some obscure 800 year old law”

“The law is the law Mr Dearborn" Elena Larkspear states firmly

The Various delegates look at each other.

“And as I am no longer Inquisitor I will be announcing my candidacy for Consul immediately”

“You can do that”

“I can"

“And who is the interim Inquisitor you appointed? Your sister perhaps? You can’t expect us to accept a bias Inquisitor!”

Dearborn usually calm and collected it’s a deep shade of red, his anger plain for all to see.

“Of course not. The Council’s kind words earlier; I hope were sincere. I have always acted in this post with integrity and I have no intention of manipulating this election process. As such I believe the council will find my replacement acceptable”

The doors creak open, a sharp sound is heard as a pair of heels cross the floor. A blond woman with hair in a ponytail walks up to the Council chamber.

“May I present Interim Inquisitor Lydia Branwell"

**\--- Scene 13---**

“You’re playing a dangerous game Alec"

Elena catches up to Alec outside the council chambers on one of the many terraced balconies of the building.

“Still, good choice with Branwell. I don’t think anyone saw it coming that you would appoint the woman you jilted at the alter. The vast majority feel confident such a woman would not be biased towards the man that did _that_”

Alec smiles, and he nods his head to one side feeling quite please with himself, “It was important they would be neutral”

“If anything Dearborn and his supporters are wondering if you’ve appointed someone who is actually biased against you"

“Lydia is...fair. I trust her to not hold the past against me"

Elena chuckles, “I’ve always knew you were shrewd when It comes to politics, never imagined you’d pull a stunt like _that_”

“I’m curious as to why the Council were so opposed to my resignation”

“Dearborn had won on a narrow majority he argued that such a sudden change in Inquisitor so soon after the Consuls death would be too much a shock to the system. But truthfully many were on the fence and the majority had abstained.”

“I can’t imagine Dearborn was happy"

“Not at all, but the law is the law and the council wouldn’t dare go against it. Even if it is an obscure relic of a bygone age in our legal system"

“Dearborn tried to stop the resignation because he didn’t want me opposing him"

Elena leans against the railings, “Yes I suspect so, that’s why I voted to allow you to resign when you first approached the Council for the request"

“Forgive me Elena, but I’ve never took you for having similar...political leanings as myself"

“Oh I don't. True I’m not a fanatic like Dearborn, although I question you tactics and your desire for sweeping reform I don’t doubt your intent. Honestly most of us think that way."

“I believe that might be the nicest thing you have said to me Elena”

Elena chuckles, “I’m not saying I think you are right. But I think our people deserve real choice in this election, a balance of candidates is needed. I did it for them far more than I did it for you"

**\--- Scene 14----**

At Magnus and Alec's loft every one is getting prepped for the jump.

There’s a bang at the door and Magnus’s wards recognise the individual as an ally.

Alec waves his hand and the door opens. Luke walks through and Clary jumps on him.

“Dad" she smiles as she throws her arms around him.

“Hey kiddo"

“You came to wish us well?”

“I thought this mission was being kept on the down low" Jace sighs

“You told Maryse” Clary raises her brow towards Jace

Alec huffs, “What the hell Jace? Now mom is just going to worry"

“Yeah it’s part of why I am here. She wanted to make sure you were ok but didn’t want to make a scene of it”

“Tell mom we are fine! And stop worrying"

“Alec she’s your mom she isn’t going to stop that any time soon" Luke gets slightly nervous, “I also needed to talk to you about something else. Well Clary, Jace, Izzy and Alec specifically”

“Is everything ok?” Izzy gets concerned at Luke’s nervous body language.

“Well yeah actually in fact things are going great but I wanted to speak to you four first.” Luke stutters and scratches the back of his head, “I’m planning on proposing to Maryse”

Jace is the first one to jump up and hug Luke.

“But I wanted to get your blessings first"

“Of course you have our blessings" Izzy pushes Jace out the way almost comically as she grabs Luke for herself

Clary joins in on the hug, “You have mine, and I know mom would have approved too, she would want you to be happy and you and Maryse are just perfect for each other"

“Alec?” Luke looks over at the stern face man who had his arms crossed.

Alec’s stern demeanour is his form of banter and his face quickly melts into a friendly smiley one, “I’ve not seen mom as happy as when she is with you Luke. Of course you have my blessings"

Alec reaches out and gives Luke a firm shake holding his arm as Luke does the same. However Luke quickly yanks Alec into a hug, smacking his large hands on Alec’s back and Alec winces against the contact.

“So when you going to pop the question"

“As soon as I’ve spoken to Max. He’s blessing is important too. But I’m keen to wait until his visit to Maryse this weekend. I don’t think doing it in front of Robert is the best idea"

“Every one is getting married it seems" Magnus chuckles

“What? Who?”

“Lorenzo and Underhill got engaged" Alec responds, “They told us earlier"

“Bitch stole my thunder" Luke jokes.

Clary throws her arms around Luke once more, “I’m sorry, but it's time"

Everyone nods.

“Hang on” Izzy runs over to Simon and kisses him passionately, her hands running over his face, as if Izzy wants to remember every part of it in fear he won’t return. Turning her head to Jace Izzy gives him a stern look “You better keep my Parabatai and Boyfriend safe"

Clary melts and kisses Izzy on her cheek. A tear runs down Clary’s face as she lets her go.

Izzy steps back to join Alec and Magnus who embrace her as she gets emotional, hoping Clary’s device will work, hoping they find the codex.

“Wait, how do you know where to start?” Luke asks as if it hasn’t been considered already.

“Asmodeus told us he placed it in a world without shrimp” Clary laughs, “thankfully Ithuriel knows the coordinates to that universe"

“There’s a world without shrimp?” Luke pulls a perplex and puzzled face.

Alec shrugs at Luke

“ok, here we go" Clary voice is shaky as she starts drawing the rune to hop dimensions on the device, “first stop, the world without shrimp"

A flash of light engulfs the room and in an instant that they were gone.

**\--- Scene 15---**

“I need you to take care of Alec Lightwood" Dearborn spits, pacing the dark room next to a large wooden create that keeps shaking violently as if it caged a beast.

“Why should I, it is of no concern to me" the low voice replies from the a dark corner of the room

“We had a deal"

“And I have upheld my end of the Bargain" the voice booms, “pray I do not change my mind"

“You said you would make me Consul!”

“No _boy_ I said I would help you remove the current one. The current situation with Alexander Bane is of your own doing. You allowed yourself to be out manoeuvred.”

Horace looks down sheepishly; he nods before opening a crate and yanking out a beaten and bloodied Jia Penhallow.

“I have to admit, those glamoured corpses was impressive, hers even matched her dental records"

Asmodeus steps out of the dark corner, Horace hesitantly steps back. “Demonic illusions are more powerful than your Nephilim parlour tricks boy"

“And you’ll respect our deal?”

“If your kind retreats to Idris my master will spare your realm, assuming you can take control. You have little importance to us beyond being a nuance. Soon the mortal world will be ours” Asmodeus displays his trademark grotesque grin.

“And you my dear, I would like to know everything you know about the codex and what our enemies have done to Clarissa Fairchild"

Jia looks up at Asmodeus and spits a bloody glob of saliva at him.

This only makes Asmodeus grin even more wider and contorted. Placing a finger to his face and wipes the bloody spit onto his finger and sucks it into his mouth. “Feisty isn’t she. But that fear, it permeates every droplet of sweat, tears and blood and it tastes delicious”

Jia trembles but still tries kicking and screaming as Asmodeus yanks her by her hair and through a portal.


	12. This World Inverted again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clary, Simon and Jace hop dimensions to find a vital piece of the puzzle.  
Clary sees the face of an enermy long dead, relationships that never were, and a dark side of herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is focused on Clary, Simon and Jaces adventures.  
Smutty scenes are labeled. There will be pairings in AUs that are not in the show

**\---AU 4---**

“Please say this is the one" Simon groaned

“Si the codex could have jump dozens of times by now, this is not going to be fast" Clary shrugged

Clary’s hand glowed over the device like when someone is using the tracking rune.

It was cold and they had been tracking in this dimension for over an hour.

The streets all seemed familiar to Jace; he had been in this street before in his own universe.

Jace was growing restless, tapping his seraph blade against the walls of the alleys as they walked.

“Here!” Clary hovered over a puddle.

“Another jump?” Simon was already bored of all this. Although they had only been at this for about 6 hours in total.

“I’m calculating the next jump"

“Jace? Clary? I didn’t think you were coming" a familiar voice called out.

Jace turned around and instantly recognised the side entrance to Pandemonium.

Stood before them was Alec, wearing a sparkly suit, eye liner and make up. There were no runes viable on his skin and his cat eyes shone brilliantly. He was quickly joined out the door by Magnus in a plain black t-shirt and jeans. Magnus’s face was free of any makeup and his arms and neck showed runes. Across his shoulder was a quiver full of arrows and a bow held in this right hand.

“Nope, too weird! CLARY" Jace called out

“Got it" Clary informs them as she draws the rune on the device to their next destination and vanishes in a blinding light

A puzzled Alec and Magnus looked at each other.

“Did they just portal out?” Magnus questions at the unusual light show.

“What did Jace mean by weird? I thought I did a good job" Alec sullied.

“Oh Alexander you did great. Not many people can pull off my outfits"

“I mean I normally end up pulling your outfits off" Alec smirks as he leans in for a kiss.

“Let’s get back inside; I didn’t plan this costume party so we could stand outside” Magnus moans into the kiss.

“Ok but can I take the contacts out? They itch" Alec whines

**\---AU 8 Scene 1---**

“We can’t just stay here" Jace complains

Clary sits at the cafe table. It’s a cheap cafe with white plastic benches and tables attached to the floor. Clary had been trying for the last 20minutes to activate the device.

Simon walks towards them with 3 coffees, “They are going to be pissed when the money I gave them is repelled into another universe straight out of the cash register", Simon pulls out a small squeezey bottle and stirs in a few drops of blood into the coffee.

Clary sighs as she examines the circuitry, “I think we are jumping too much too fast. It’s like the magical equivalent of an overheated computer. We’re going to need to give it 4 maybe 6 hours"

Jace rubs his head and grabs the cup of coffee Simon handed him.

“You sure that’s all it is?”

“I wouldn’t mind a second opinion. But the only person who would understand this kind of stuff is Magnus"

“Well let’s hope this universe has one. No idea how were going to explain all of this though"

**\---AU 8 scene 2---**

Jace places a hand over the threshold of Magnus’s apartment. His hands shake slightly as he tries to feel for the wards around the entrance but there are no wards, no magic of any kind.

Clary and Simon sense this too and share a glance with Jace.

Jace carefully draws the unlock rune on the door and opens it with his Seraph blade raised. He slowly inches his way into the apartment with Simon and Clary tip toeing behind him.

As he heads towards the kitchen area he hears the sounds of pots and pans in use. Round the corner he sees a familiar face and in full panic jumps put welding his Seraph blade.

“Valentine!” Jace spits as he lunges towards him.

As Jace flies through the air he is struck and falls down. It’s Alec! He quickly runs to Valentine as Jace crashes into the kitchen island unit.

Alec holds a shaken Valentine, “its ok baby"

Clary and Simon quickly turn the corner and lunge towards Valentine and Alec stands up arms stretched, moving to cover the man as much as possible.

With his vampire speed and lighting reaction he stops himself and holds Clary back.

Clary shoots a glare at Simon who has noticed the peculiarities present in Valentine.

His demeanour was sheepish, his clothes expensive and tailored, his eyes lined with black eyeliner and eye shadow.

“What the fuck are you guys doing?” Alec shouts before turning back to Valentine and shushing him “Magnus, you’re ok, Magnus I'm here!”

“Magnus?” Jace’s voice raised in confusion as he gets up from the floor.

“Who else would it be?” Alec’s eyes glow with anger.

“but...Valentine" Jace stutters.

“What is wrong with you guys, how is that even funny" Alec scolds them as the man who looks like Valentine bolts for the bedroom with his eyes inflated and teary.

“That’s Magnus?” Simon asks.

“Of course it’s Magnus. Is this some sort of sick joke!”

“We didn’t know" Clary apologises

“Sure the 3 of you just forgot the past few years! You know how sensitive Magnus is about it all!”

“So this is going to sound weird but umm we are from another universe"

“Unbelievable” Alec shakes his head in Anger.

Jace puts his hand into Alec’s pocket and pulls out his phone and starts dialling.

“Hey!” Alec cries from Jace snatching the phone.

The phone rings and then a voice answers _hey Alec what's up_. The voice is undeniably Jace’s voice. Jace hangs up the phone.

Alec’s eyes widen and he pulls out a dagger, “Ravener"

“No no no no!” Jace pleads, “give me something with Electrum in it? I’ll hold it!”

Alec keeps his dagger raised. Keeping his eyes fixed on the trio he places his hand on the kitchen drawer behind him, fumbling as he roots round and throws a pedant towards Jace who catches it.

Jace holds it and shows Alec his palm is unharmed.

Alec slowly starts to drop his guard and lowers his dagger before placing it on the countertop.

Jace smiles as he fondly remembers the Electrum pendant that belonged to his adoptive grandmother Marisa; Maryse’s mother.

“You're...Really from another dimension?” Alec struggles to contemplate the situation.

“I’m so sorry I saw Valentine and...how"

Alec sighs, “Magnus’s body was switched with Valentine’s by a greater demon; Azazel. He...he killed Valentine when he refused to give him the mortal cup. Magnus has had to live the rest of his life in the wrong body"

The trio looked at each other, that had happened in their world too, only Azazel was stopped and their bodies restored.

**\---AU 8 Scene 3---**

Alec cradled and rocked Magnus, whispering calming words into his ear. He had thrown off his clothes and jumped into bed. Alec still felt a sting of pain in his soul when ever he saw Magnus’s stomach, covered in scars that even an Iratze couldn’t heal after Magnus had tried in a panic induced breakdown to claw his way out of Valentine’s body.

“I can’t keep doing this" Magnus cried

“Shss, you did so well this morning, you maintained the glamour for 6 hours. That’s amazing baby"

“It's just so exhausting, even with the stamina rune” Magnus wept, “I still got my ears slight off"

“You can’t think like that, you did so well and the more you practise the longer you can hold it. You can’t be so harsh in yourself, you didn’t grow up being trained how to use runes"

Magnus curled deeper into Alec’s embrace. He only felt ok when he glamoured his body to look like his own, the body Azazel destroyed.

“And last night, I loose control...And I hate it"

Alec shushed Magnus, rubbing his hands over Magnus’s back.

Magnus only felt comfortable having sex with Alec when he had his glamour up although it still took over a year before he could get to that stage regardless of any reassurances from Alec. But, just like his cat eyes, he could so easily loose control over the glamour and suddenly it was Valentine’s body having sex with Alec.

Magnus hated that he looked like the mass murderer despised by Downworlders and Nephilim alike. He had lost his body, his magic, his position amongst the warlocks, only Alec remained.

“How can you still love me looking like this" Magnus sniffles, his nose dripping and eyes red.

“Magnus, I only see you, remember? I see _you_ baby, always you!”

Magnus nods. Tears still drip down his face.

“I only see you baby, I only see you!” Alec repeats.

“Why did Jace...?” Magnus struggles, “It wasn’t funny"

“That’s not our Jace, they are... they are from another universe, we even called Jace on the phone while that Jace was right here"

Magnus’s eyes widen, “demon!” He starts rooting around the bedside draws for a weapon.

“No, they’re not, I gave him Electrum to hold, it didn’t burn them!”

Magnus quickly throws on a dressing gown and runs out.

**\---AU8 scene 4---**

“You can’t just hop dimensions like that, you have to inhabit your counterpart’s body" Magnus accuses

“We found a way round the quantum signature issue!” Jace keeps his hands in Magnus’s sight as not to startle him

“How"

“With this" Clary tried to defuse the situation by showing the device, “It contains an anchor to our world. When we are eventually repelled it snaps us back to our reality like a rubber band"

Clary lifts the lid off and shows the bright ruby in place at the centre.

“Who made this" Magnus says in awe.

“You did, in our reality"

“This is extraordinary” Magnus’s eyes widened.

Clary pulls out a small note book from her backpack and hands it to Magnus who flicks through it. The pages filled with the calculations Clary had first written onto the wall.

“We didn’t mean to impose but its stopped working and, well, you’re the only other person I know who understands this stuff"

Clary found herself perplexed, the man before her looked like her father and brought back so many disturbed memories. But this wasn’t her father; there was something in his eyes that told her that. His expressions and mannerisms were very different; there was a flourish to his movements.

Jace had also come across some weird stuff before but like Clary he found it hard to reconcile the man in front of him, the body of the man who raised him being the body of his Parabatai's husband

“This is incredible, I made this Anchor? Me? In your universe?”

“Yes"

Magnus's face drops and Alec notices the slight tremble in his hand “I’m in my own body in your world aren’t I?”

Simon, Clary and Jace give each other a look. They felt so much pity for Magnus.

“Yes" Simon sheepishly responds.

Magnus pulls himself together and feigns a smile. Alec threads his fingers through Magnus’s hand at his side.

“How many jumps are you doing?” Magnus croaks out

“This is the 8th universe for us" Clary responds

“How often are you jumping?”

“This is hour 22 I think?”

Magnus pulls a face, “That’s too much of a strain on the device; the Adamas and Electrum circuitry will overheat, also keep going at that rate the Anchor will probably snap. I would make sure you give it 8 hours every 5 or so jumps if you don’t want to get lost somewhere"

Alec wraps his arms around Magnus, around Valentine’s body. “You should stay here, 22 hours straight you could probably do with the sleep"

**\---AU 8 Scene 5---**

“Poor Magnus" Clary curls up Jace. He brings his large arms around her and Clary feels safe in the cuddle.

The room is the same as Jace’s old room from when he stayed at the loft but even though it is identical it feels wrong, like he can sense it is not his world.

“Would you still love me if that happened to me?” Clary tilts his head up to look Jace in the eyes.

“I’d be disconcerted if you had Valentine’s body specifically" Jace smiles gently.

Clary chuckles slightly, “Yea I didn’t mean specifically my dad!”

“I’d love you until the day I die" Jace tightens his arms around Clary’s chest.

Clary brings her lips up to Jace’s and kisses him softly, “and after that"

A tear escapes Jace's eye and Clary wipes it, smiling. She felt grateful, oddly, that Jace allows himself to be so vulnerable with her.

Jace's eyes seemed deep in thought.

“What’s going through that head of yours?”

Jace shakes his head. “I don’t know, so much”

“Like?”

“So much is happening” Jace pauses, “It’s like the ground under me is shifting and it’s a struggle just to stand still"

“The codex?”

“The codex, Alec going for Consul, Jia’s death, Ithuriel's memories, all these new abilities we seem to have, Alec and Magnus are half immortals, the angels are losing the war...where ever that is taking place, jumping dimensions, Asmodeus"

“The past few months have been non-stop" Clary admits, “over think tomorrow. We could both do with some sleep"

Jace nods.

“Do you want to be little spoon?”

Jace’s eyes light up at the suggestion. Clary made him feel safe and loved; sometimes it was nice to let go and have Clary be there for him.

**\---AU8 scene 6---**

Magnus wakes up; Alec curled up against him making adorable little snores. The warm skin against his own felt indescribably lovely. Except it wasn’t his own skin Alec’s was pressed against. Still, Alec’s naked body against his made life worth living, even it was a half life.

The sun is beaming through the windows and Magnus groans, they need to get up, the others would be leaving now.

Magnus shakes Alec who grumbles as he starts to wake. Alec was a terrible morning person, his hair dishevelled, his eye kids struggling to stay open, but it all made him endearing to Magnus.

“Good morning" Alec mutters as he plants a kiss on Magnus without hesitation. It melted Magnus that they had reached a stage where Alec didn’t hesitate despite Magnus’s form being that of Valentine. It hadn’t taken Alec long to adjust really, Magnus still hasn’t adjusted but he knows that there is such purity in Alec’s love that he has accepted Magnus in these circumstances.

Magnus gets out of bed and throws some loose fitting clothes that belong to Alec. The familiar scent of Alec on the clothes wrapping him further in warmth that made Magnus feel a bit safer today. 

Alec moans that Magnus is out of bed and not there to cuddle against.

“Come on they’ll be leaving about now"

Magnus throws some clothes at Alec’s face who rolls his eyes and gets dressed.

Walking on the bedroom they see a fully clothed Simon, Jace and Clary going through their back packs.

“Oh hey, we wasn’t sure if we should wake you guys up or not" Simon says as he zips up his bag

“You wasn't thinking of leaving without saying goodbye first were you Biscuit?”

“Not at all Magnus, but we are just about ready to go" Clary goes over and throws her arms around the couple, “Didn’t want to wake you until the last minute, drawn out goodbyes and all"

“Alec, Magnus, Look after yourselves" Jace takes Clary’s place and hugs the two men.

“Simon” Magnus looks over to the Vampire struggling with the zip and holds out his hands to say _give me that I’ll do it_

Zipping up the bag Magnus gives a hug which Simon embraces. Alec holds out his hand for a firm shake goodbye.

Huddling round the device the three look at Magnus and Alec, “Thanks you for everything" Clary says as the boys his back.

Clary draws the rune and they disappear in a flash of light.

**\---AU17 Scene 1---**

“We shouldn’t push another jump" Simon points out, they had already done too many jumps.

“I don’t think we had much of a choice Simon!” Jace shrugs, the last universe had been filled with demons and it was a struggle to track the codex and jump before one of them was seriously hurt or killed.

“Universe 12 was interesting" Simon laughs

“I didn’t like it, too weird seeing you with runes" Jace teases and Simon shoves in to him in response.

“You just didn’t like that I was Clary’s Parabatai in that world” Simon giggled.

“Shut up _lovelace_” Jace flicks the back of Simon’s head, teasing him with the surname Simon had had in that reality.

“Boys" Clary brings their attention back to the mission at hand.

They enter a building and follow the signal to the top floor and reach an apartment door.

Clary uses the unlock rune, Jace takes point again as they carefully enter the apartment.

In the background they hear a shower running.

Clary slowly scans the room for a signal. Simon becomes distracted by the room, it’s so cool. He sees a whole bookcase stocked with Sci-fi DVDs, geeky posters on the wall, a pinball machine in the corner, games consoles by the TV, and a Les Paul guitar.

“Stop geeking out" Jace whispers to Simon

“It was here but it’s jumped again" Clary sighs as they head back out.

Jace closes the door behind him gently.

“Wait we should speak to who ever lives there”

“Simon you just want to play with all cool toys" Jace sighs.

“No, but think about it, if the book was in this apartment, maybe the really cool guy or girl who lives there saw it. I mean we don’t know really what it looks like other than it's a blank book...it could help"

Clary roles her eyes, “Well we do have to wait another 7 hours, guess it can’t hurt to ask"

“YES" Simon shouts.

Jace sighs again and knocks on the door. Moments later the door opens and Jace sees himself. A shocked and open mouthed Jace stands there in a towel.

The other Jace runs back into the apartment to try and find a weapon.

Jace had gotten sick of the routine now but it was what it was. “Not a demon, not a glamour, from another dimension, give me some Electrum to hold" he said monotonously and slightly bored of it.

“Its got traces of Electrum, enough to harm a shapeshifting demon"

A ring flies across the room and Jace catches it and shows other Jace his hand; “See"

**\---AU17 scene 2---**

AU Jace places the tray on the table shaking slightly. Now dressed in a simple white fitted t-shirt and a loose fitting grey workout pants.

Jace and Clary each take a cup of tea from the tray silently, Simon picks up the glass of blood, confused as to why AU Jace has any available. This was always weird during the jumps, seeing an alternative version of someone they know but especially themselves.

“I still can’t wrap my head around it" AU Jace says as he sits in one of the chairs facing the sofa that the others were sat at.

“And you don’t know me in this reality?” Clary ponders

“Sorry no"

“I’m Clary Fairchild"

AU Jace just shrugs

“My father is Valentine Morgenstern”

AU Jace pauses for a moment, “wait I know that name...wasn’t he Luke’s Parabatai?”

“That’s the one"

“Luke doesn’t talk about him much. They say the worst pain you can have is to loose your Parabatai. Poor Luke, he was only 17 when his Parabatai died during a raid on a demon bar"

“So I don’t exist in this reality? That’s umm strange"

Jace pulls the Electrum ring out of his pocket and hands it over to AU Jace, “Oh before I forget, here’s your ring"

AU Jace smiles as he places the ring on his ring finger.

“You’re married?” Jace asks in a tone of surprise.

“Umm yeah. I noticed you’re not earlier”

Jace gets a bit flustered and red in the face as he looks briefly at Clary, amused by his discomfort.

“Speak of the devil" AU Jace gets up and moves towards the apartment door round the corner from the seats. Everyone hears the rattling of keys in the door.

“Hey sweetie" AU Jace beams as someone approaches him at vampire speed.

The trio freeze, their jaws dropped as they see another Simon with his arms wrapped around AU Jace, their lips pressed together as Jace moans gently into the soft kiss of his husband.

**\---AU 17 Scene 3---**

“So we haven’t got married yet in your dimension?” asks AU Simon as he sits on AU Jace’s lap. AU Jace runs his fingers through his husband’s hair.

“Umm no, we’re not a...we've never...” Jace stutters

“Actually Jace is with me" Clary grabs Jace’s hand and holds it tight.

Simon blushes, only possible because of the blood he has recently consumed.

“Really?” AU Simon asks rhetorically with a high pitched tone of surprise.

“I knew Simon was the one the first time I saw him” AU Jace smiles and presses a kiss into his Simon’s cheek. “He was a fledgling at the Dumort hotel, we had heard the leader of the Clan, Camille, had been turning mundanes and I found this cutie locked up; and the rest was history"

“I don’t mean to interrupt any of this but, the book?” Simon asks.

“Oh yea. I don’t know what to tell you, I assumed at first it was one of Jace’s but it was blank. I threw it in a drawer but I haven't seen it since. You’re saying this is from your dimension?” AU Simon asks.

“Umm, yea it’s kind of drifting between dimensions. We don't really know what it looks like though" Clary puts her empty cup onto the tray.

“It was pretty plain, not a very thick book, black leather bound with no title but it did have the angelic rune on the cover embossed in silver.” AU Simon shrugs

**\---AU17 Scene 4---**

“Can’t sleep chief?” Simon walks out into the cold night air to join Jace on the balcony. The bright lights of the city twinkling like stars.

Jace shakes his head. He seems awkward around Simon.

“They're not us Jace. I mean they're us but they're _not_ us"

“Si stop talking" Jace huffs as he continues to look out into the city.

Simon stays quiet for as long as he can, maybe a few minutes before he comes out with “Is Clary asleep?”

Jace simply nods.

“I’m guessing you're out here because you heard them" Jace spins round to face Simon.

“Oh, yeah" Simon bows his head embarrassed, “I didn’t realise you could hear that well"

“I may not have vampire hearing but I know the sound of a bed creaking when I hear one" Jace shivers at the thought, “I know they are not us, but the thought of me, the other me, _me fucking you_, we've become good friends and all but I can't...process _that_”

“Oh Jace, if it makes you feel any better that's not quite what’s happening in there” Simon smirks

Jace feels relieved, “Oh I thought they were having sex"

“Oh they are, just you’re not the one doing the fucking”

Jace’s eyes widen in shock

**\---AU17 scene 5---**

**(Explicit/Smutty)**

Simon collapses on top of Jace, they are both a sweaty sticky mess. Jace pants but Simon not needing to breath just seems normal except for the glow of ecstasy on his face.

Simon nuzzles at his husband's neck, scrapping his fangs along the skin. Jace’s cum sticks between their two stomachs.

“You think they heard?” Jace pants

“You care?" Simon smirks, still burying his face in Jace’s neck, “I’ve fucked you so many times on that balcony, don’t tell me you’ve gone all coy now"

Jace enjoys staying still for a few minutes. It feels like heaven, his husband’s trim but incredibly lean frame atop of him, his still hard cock deep inside him plugging the cum Simon unloaded into his gut.

With a pop Simon pulls out and Jace whimpers and whines, unhappy that he no longer has Simon inside him. Simon throws him a towel with a grin before heading into the ensuite shower.

Jace wipes the cum over his stomach and throws the towel into the corner of the room.

“It's weird to think of a universe where we’re not together" Jace calls out.

A muffled sound from the showers agrees.

“I can’t imagine a life with out you babe"

A muffled voice responds again.

Jace sighs, “hurry up out the shower"

He hears the water turn off and Simon steps out all fresh, naked and still semi hard.

Jace gets a wicked smile, moves towards the edge of the bed next to where Simon is standing and kneels on the mattress. With a swift movement of his hands he grabs Simon by his ass and pulls him towards him. With his free hand Jace holds Simon’s semi erect cock and takes it into his mouth.

Simon’s lips curl up, “ready for round 2 already angel?”

Jace nods and muffles a response with Simon’s cock in his mouth. It doesn’t take long for Simon to get fully hard again. Simon runs his fingers through Jace’s blond hair as the shadowhunter swallows every inch of Simon’s 10 inch cock down to the root.

Simon was incredibly well endowed and he hadn’t had met many people who could take him fully. But Jace? Jace loved stuffing either hole with every inch.

Simon pulls back and Jace whimpers as his throat becomes empty. Trails of saliva and precum string between Jace’s lips and Simon’s throbbing erection.

Simon goes to the bedside table and sighs looking at the empty glass. He had already had the glass of blood. He was hungry but at least he had had enough blood for sex. It was a downside of vampirism that frustrated Simon that he needed feeding for sex; erections need blood after all.

Jace lifts his body up and kisses his husband who was full of all sorts of hunger. Using his shadowhunter strength he flips Simon onto the bed, the bed that was still slightly damp on top of the covers with sweat and splashes of cum and lube.

Jace jumps onto Simon, straddling him. Simon’s cock throbbing as Jace wiggled until it’s nestled between his cheeks and so near the entrance to his hole that Simon gasps when he feels he entrance rubbing along the head of his cock.

Jace smiles as he grabs a small blade from under the pillow, it was a habit he had never been able to break, being ready to fight at all times.

He cuts into his wrist along the vein and places the wrist a few inches above Simon’s mouth, the blood dripping down his throat, covering his tongue in the delicious and metallic sweet blood.

Simon’s diet was mostly blood from butcher’s shops, but Jace liked to feed him. Simon never bit him though; he didn’t want Jace to become addicted to his venom especially when they were first starting out. He also didn’t want to feed from Jace too much himself, again because he wanted their relationship to be about something more than blood lust.

Simon was moaning, the blood dripping down his throat, warm and fresh blood, it made his cock throb even harder.

Jace took immense pleasure watching Simon, with eyes shut and his facial expressions somewhat similar to his orgasm face.

Both Jace and Simon knew when enough was enough. Jace stretches to grab the stele from his bedside table, never moving from straddling Simon. The pitter patter sound of a few drops hitting the bedding leads Simon to let out a soft whine.

Jace activates his Iratze rune and the wound heals up. Jace is slightly light headed from the blood loss, although it is slight.

Simon grabs Jace’s wrists and placing his lips over where the cut had been sweeps his tongue over the last drops of blood on the skin.

Simon grabs Jace by the nape and pulls Jace in for a deep kiss. Jace moans as he tastes the lingering blood in Simon’s mouth. Simon is careful not to drag his fangs too harshly along Jace’s bottom lip as to cut into it, instead teasing with the scrapping sensation.

“Inside, now!” Jace groans

“What no foreplay?” Simon teases. But Jace is rock hard and needs his husband inside him.

Jace reaches his arm round and grabs the monster cock nestled in his cheeks. He lifts himself up and lines the entrance to his hole with Simon’s cock. Still incredibly slick from Simon’s cum and the lube used early Jace slowly slides down on Simon’s lengthy dick.

Simon moans as he feels himself engulfed by the warm embrace of his husband’s tight hole. No matter how much he fucked him it always remained as tight as the first time they had fucked and Simon has pondered if it was because if the Iratze rune.

Jace’s face was scrunched up in a delightful mix of sheer delight and discomfort as he adjusted to each inch before tackling the next.

When he finally took in the whole length Jace just sat for a moment, eyes shut tightly and biting his bottom lip.

Simon let out a soft moan as Jace’s walls throbbed around him, still highly stimulated from their earlier fucking.

Jace notices a speckled of his blood at the side of Simon’s lip. He brings his finger to Simon’s face and wipes the droplet, placing the finger in his own mouth. Seeing Jace place the blood in his mouth turns Simon on so much and he involuntary thrusts into Jace as if it could fit any deeper than he already was. Jace let’s out a pleasured yelp and leans down so that Simon can meet his mouth. Simon’s tongue sweeps over Jace’s to taste the remnants of the blood.

Simon places his hands on Jace’s ass with a loud smack. He pulls the cheeks apart as he starts to slowly thrust into the sloppy hole.

“You better use vamp speed” Jace teases.

“All in good time"

Simon loved to slow fuck into his husband, but they both loved it when Simon uses he vampire speed to pound him. It was something no one had prepared him for when he turned, that vampires were biologically adapted to fuck at great speed by either becoming increasingly slick when getting fucked and/or releasing incredible amounts of precum. Simon had assumed it was taboo to talk about, but without the buckets of precum he produced sliding inside Jace’s hole he would no doubt tear him apart without the sufficient lubrication needed to take such a huge cock at such incredible speeds.

Simon continued to slowly thrust and Jace was falling apart on top of him. It was a slow dull drag of pleasure along his prostrate at this speed; it wasn’t as intense as when they are fucking hard and Jace felt no reprieve from the tingling pressure.

Simon smiled watching Jace’s facial expressions as he slowly dragged along the Jace’s sensitive p-spot.

“You are so beautiful like this"

Jace blushes at the praise. He had always been so cocky and when they first started dating he would have responded to such a comment by joking about how he knows how beautiful he is. But as time passed on he had come to fully appreciate the sincerity in Simon’s voice when he said things like that and it just made him melt.

Jace kisses Simon passionately, he moves to Simon’s neck, planting soft and warm kisses along collar bone before moving towards Simon’s ear, “I love you"

Simon runs his fingers down Jace’s back, smiles and turns his head to face Jace, never stopping his slow but powerful thrusts, “I love you too Mr Jace Lewis"

Jace leans towards Simon’s lips and their kiss is full of tongues, wet and with the occasional playful biting of the lips but never enough to draw blood.

“Stay still" Jace whimpers. Simon wonders for a moment if he is uncomfortable but Jace just wants to take control for a moment and starts to ride Simon, rolling his hips on every stroke.

Simon runs his hands all over Jace’s body, up the length of his muscular chest, his abs, he runs them round to the back and then down to those soft cheeks bouncing.

Jace rides Simon for what seems like hours, picking up the pace until the bed springs creak like someone is jumping on a trampoline. Simon’s eyes roll back into his head and he can’t resist anymore.

With his Vampire strength he flips them and positions Jace on his hands and knees. Jace bows his upper half, his face burried in the pillow, his back arched in a way only possible with the flexibility rune.

Simon takes in the sight of those two soft mounds of flesh, wiggling in anticipation and covered in a dusting of a few fine blond hairs that are barely viable to the naked eye.

Simon obscenely buries his face into the flesh, his tongue darting out which bring Jace to a loud moan that surely everyone in the apartment must of heard.

Jace had been expecting a big slab of vampire cock ramming into him but he was far from disappointed.

Early on during sex Jace had realised the benefits of a partner who didn’t need to breathe, be it rimming or deep throating.

Simon’s face couldn’t be any deeper into Jace. His tongue swirling and poking and flickering around the rim and inside Jace’s ass. His descended fangs scrap; teasing against the sensitive flesh. His tongue is coated in his cum from earlier and the precum he leaked into Jace, it tasted delicious with the aftertaste of blood also still fresh at the back of his throat.

Jace struggles to maintain composure as Simon brings him close to yet another orgasm.

Sensing how close Jace is, Simon pulls away. Jace’s whining moan is quickly replaced by an earth shattering moan of pleasure and shock as Simon swiftly fills Jace’s hole with vampire dick in one fluid motion.

Jace gulps as the full feeling inside him. Simon bends forwards running his fangs along Jace’s back, teasing and scraping.

“You ready for vamp speed?” Simon asks, suck and nipping at Jace’s neck.

Jace turns his head backwards, his forehead sweaty and a mess with his hair everywhere. Jace fell apart so beautifully with Simon.

Jace just nods, unable to speak as he pants heavily.

Simon has made sure Jace’s hole is well and truly loose and dripping wet.

Simon starts at a normal pace and quickly works up to what most would consider a pounding by mundane standards. Jace cries out, loving the sensation of Simon’s pelvis smushing into his ass checks. The bristly feel of Simon’s well trimmed pubic hair scratching gently at the soft flesh every time he thrusts in, the skin of his cheeks sticking to Simon’s skin due to sticky precum and lube, being pulled at momentarily as he withdraws his cock out halfway drives Jace wild.

Simon continues to pick up the pace and as he reaches vampire speed the slapping sounds like a humming bird.

Each sharp hit against his prostrate makes Jace’s dick jump.

Jace is beyond sentences at this point, and all that can escape his lips are loud moans, groans, the occasional word like _Simon_ or _fuck_ or _harder_.

Jace’s back glistens in the low light of the bedroom, Simon runs his tongue over any exposed flesh he can reach; the taste slightly salty.

Simon repositions himself slightly, lifting his right leg up whilst his left leg remains kneeling. If it wasn’t for the hot blond Jace nestled between his legs Simon would have looked like a guy going down on one knee to propose. Simon knows how this angle sets Jace off.

Jace moans muffle into the pillow. If Jace didn’t use the pillow at this point he knows he would wake up the entire apartment building.

Each stroke touches Jace’s prostrate in such a perfect way that each hit almost feels like an orgasm itself, except with the speed Simon hits that spot it’s blurs into almost one continuous sensation of back to back mini orgasms.

After 5 more minutes Jace is struggling to hold on to anything other than the impending full blown orgasm. Thank god for the stamina rune, a mundane wouldn’t last more than a minute of vampire speed fucking at this angle.

“You close angel?”

Jace can’t even respond but Simon can sense the heavy flow of blood pumping around his body, making Jace bright hot to the touch.

Simon doesn’t let up on the speed and wraps his hand around Jace’s body to reach the pulsating 7.5 inch cock bouncing to the thrusts.

The lightest brushing of Simon’s hands against his cock head sets Jace off. He spurts his load all over Simon’s hand who cups it an attempt to catch every drop. Jace’s body is incredibly hot to the touch and his cum is no exception.

Simon moves the pool of cum cupped in his hand to Jace's lips and the blond shadowhunter greedily slurps it.

The sight of Jace swallowing his own cum and the pulsing warm walls that swallow his massive cock so hungrily tips Simon over the edge and he buries his groin into Jace as deep as he can as he cums inside him.

The cum doesn’t seem to end and Jace feels his husband deep inside him; unloading into his greedy, well fucked and sloppy hole.

As Simon’s orgasm starts to subside he opens the eyes that had scrunched closed in the heat of his orgasm to see and feel Jace sucking on his fingers and trying to get every last morsel of spunk into his mouth.

Simon pulls out and slumps next to Jace who is panting and sweat covered.

Jace whimpers, “Can’t you keep it in a little longer?”

Simon smiles and flips Jace onto his side so his back is against his chest as they spoon on the bed. Sliding his cock back in Jace moans at the intrusion.

“We could always invite the other Simon in?” Jace smirks. The cheeky comment eliciting a firm smack to his ass by Simon. “What he is technically you, so I’m still only having sex with my Husband"

“Well he is and he isn't, and I don’t think he’d be up for that. But more importantly Angel, I think the two of us would tear that perfect ass apart”

“Only if you’re both in the same hole"

“And what do _you_ want?”

“Two of your dicks in the same hole" Jace grins widely

“Knew it" Simon laughs

Simon places his arm around Jace and pulls him tightly in to a cuddle, the warm flesh feels heavenly against him.

They cuddle for 10minutes before Simon, still rock hard thrusts slightly on instinct, eliciting a deep groan by Jace. Whispering into his ear Simon moans, “If I don’t pull out soon I’m just gonna end up fucking you again"

Jace, half dazed and smiling blissfully in the close and tender embrace simply reaches over and pulls Simon deeper into him. Simon chuckles; Jace knows full well what will happen once they’ve both recovered in a few moments.

**\---AU17 scene 6---**

“So is Simon as well endowed in you’re universe?” AU Jace whispers to Clary.

Clary checks over to see the others talking at the other end of the room. She knows the two Simon’s can hear.

Clary blushes and nods, quietly she whispered into his ear “Say anything to my Jace and I’ll stab you"

Clary smiles widely, she finds the whole thing amusing but although Jace and Simon are good friends now, telling her boyfriend how hung her ex is was not a smart move.

“Ok, we're ready for the next one guys"

Simon cheekily waves at his other self and his husband. Jace somewhat embarrassed by the whole situation just nods as Clary draws the rune on the device and they disappear in a flash of light.

**\---AU 23 Scene 1---**

Clary screamed in pain the moment they had arrived, the air burned inside her lungs. She grasps at the red dusty ground.

Jace is equally in pain, on the ground writhing in agony, “CLARY!” he screams.

Simon rushes over to them, “Clary what do I do, oh god"

The orange red hue of the sky was so familiar to them all. Edom, they were in this universe’s Edom.

Clary tries to reach her stele but her muscles convulse and spasm in the harsh environment.

Looking over at Jace Clary cries, not at her own pain but at Jace’s. In this moment she just wants Jace to be safe. If only she could reach her stele maybe she could jump out of that universe.

In what seemed like her last moments Clary feels a surge of power and determination as her eyes glow golden as if to activate a rune.

Simon feels a sharp pain on his arm but ignores it as both an unconscious Jace and Clary stop convulsing.

_Oh god, are they dead, by the Angel no!_ Simon thought, when he checks them they are breathing again like normal, their pulses are strong. Confused Simon looks at his arm where he had felt the sudden pain and sees the alliance rune.

Confused he runs his fingers over the rune. Looking at Jace's wrist he sees an alliance rune. Moving to Clary he sees yet another alliance rune on the back of her neck.

Now that he can touch it he grabs the stele Clary was reaching for. He knows that there is still likely damage from the burning air before the alliance rune took effect, although he still has no idea how that rune has come about.

Activating their Iratze runes they start to wake up.

“Simon?” Clary groggily asks.

“NEPHILIM" a loud voice bellows. Simon turns to see 12 demons surround them. Behind them a carriage adorned with skulls and other bones are pulled by 6 demonic looking horses, their flesh rotten and hanging off.

The demons raise their arms to take aim at the three when they suddenly stop. Simon sees an arm poking out the window of the carriage with a raised hand in a red glove. A demon places his head next to the window. Simon can’t make out the figure inside but can see lips moving near the demons ear.

“Take them to the palace" the demon calls out.

The next thing Simon sees is the end of a staff hitting him hard at the head.

Simon fades in and out of consciousness, he sees an unconscious Clary and Jace being carried over the shoulders of demons in shackles, and sees he is also being carried.

In the fuzzy moments of consciousness Simon sees the arid landscape, the many demons that roamed, and eventually a grand palace that almost seems mountainous.

When Simon starts to come to he is on a stone floor in a great hall. He sees Jace and Clary on the floor beside him, on their knees, heads bowed, and a demon right behind him.

There is a blow to the back of his head, “Bow before the Queen of Edom"

**\---AU 23 Scene 2---**

(Some explicit/smut)

Simon bows down on the floor but tilts his head upwards to see. He glances over to Clary who is equally shocked.

In front of them lay two thrones.

The smaller of the two thrones sits Jonathan. He is finely dressed but thin and gaunt. It’s a side of Jonathan the three has never seen before, he almost looks ill.

By the feet of the larger throne is another version or Jace and Simon. This version of Jace is different, there are no runes and Simon quickly notices the descended fangs in both of their mouths. More shockingly they are completely naked, tight collars are on their neck and they seem to be chained to the throne.

Clary’s eye travel upwards past the two naked men, next to where they lay are thigh high red leather boots, a tight black dress, red leather gloves hands rest on the sides of the throne. Moving further up Clary sees the red flowing hair and at its centre her own face.

“Leave us" AU Clary demands.

The demons quickly vacate the hall.

“Oh my god" Clary gasps.

“Not far off" the Queen stands and moves towards the three of them.

The red glove reaches for Clary’s jaw line, lifting her upwards, “rise"

Clary gets to her feet. The queen holds her face along the jaw line as she examines her. “You’re from another universe how intriguing”

“Who are you?” Clary asks, disgusted to find she is the Queen of Edom.

“I’m the Queen, you heard my guards. But you are not? Curious? I see you do not have the twinning rune either"

“No" Clary is disturbed beyond words.

“I’m glad to see you kept the boys around" the Queen smiles, noting towards Jace and Simon.

“The _boys_?" Clary throws some sass in her response.

“A woman has needs does she not?"

The queen claps her hands and several demons enter the room from the side.

“They service you?”

“No! Jace is my boyfriend, Simon in my best friend!”

“Oh my dear you should keep them both, they are so much fun at the same time and they put on quite the performance together too- when you just want to watch" the Queen smirks

Turning to one of the demons, who looks like an old hag with grey skin and patchy sparse long hairs on its head, “I want her bathed and dressed in one my outfits before dinner". The demon nods and the other demons drag Clary away.

“Jace! Simon!” She calls out to them.

The door slams behind them.

“Brother, do you want some puppies of you own?”

Jonathan stays sat at his throne, not moving except to shake his head vigorously. He seems shaken, nervous and scared.

“Puppies?” She calls to her Vampire Jace and Simon who pull at their chains. She releases the chains from the collar, “Take them, strip them, collar them and get them up to speed. Seems a waste not to make use of them"

Before the can rise from their place the Queen halts them, “wait!”

She walks over to Simon and Jace and lifts them to their feet.

Curiously she pulls Simon’s pants and boxers down and grabs his soft but still impressively long shaft. “Just interested to see how identical you are to mine” laughing the Queen continues, “Well I guess your both mine now"

Jace gasps at the length of Simon’s cock before quickly looking over to try and get a glimpse of the other Simon’s cock but it’s still obscured from his line of vision due to his leg being in the way.

**\---AU 23 Scene 3---**

“I can’t imagine a world without my brother" the Queen dabs the edge of her lips with her napkin.

At the table sits Queen Clary, Clary and Jonathan.

“What happened here?”

“Clary you must eat something" the Queen insists.

Clary hasn’t touched the food, it looks like a slab of charred meat.

“Eat and I will answer your questions. Answer mine and your lovers will be well treated" The queen glares at Clary.

Clary nervously gulps; cutting a chunk of the meat she places it in her mouth. It takes ashy and burnt.

“What specifically do you want to know?”

“How did you become queen of Edom"

“The demon Lilith brought my brother back to life and bound our souls together. At first I resisted but eventually I came to love my brother as he loves me. Lilith tried to kill him, I killed her first"

“How? To destroy Lilith?”

The queen smiles wickedly, “Oh Clary, my soul is beautifully demonic like my darling brother, but unlike him I have pure Angel blood. You have no idea the powerful combination that makes. I can do things you’ve never dreamed of. EAT"

Clary takes another bite.

“And you Clary, you were never bound to Jonathan?”

Clary shakes her head and lies, “No, he died, Lilith never came and resurrected him like yours"

“Oh my dear, you have drawn the short straw I’m afraid" the Queen looks at Clary with pity and Clary feels repulsed by that.

“And how did you come to be in this dimension?”

Clary hesitates and the Queen becomes impatient, “need I remind you your lovers are under my care… and my control"

“A rune. But before you get any bright ideas it won’t work for you"

“Oh?”

“If you draw the rune you’d get trapped floating between dimensions”

“And why is that not happening to you?”

“I guess our universe is just different to yours" Clary isn’t lying exactly but she knows bending the truth is the only way in this situation, the Queen would surly know when she is lying just by looking at her face.

**\---AU 23 Scene 4---**

“Thank god you're both alright” Clary grasps as the steel bars behind which a naked and collar Jace and Simon stand.

“Can’t say the same of my Vampire counterpart, the guards locked us in this cell when I broke his nose" Jace bangs his head against the metal.

“We need to get out of here and soon. If we don’t find the codex before we snap back to our reality we are fucked" Simon falls to the floor and sits down frustrated

“I just can’t wrap my head round the fact I’m the fucking queen of hell here"

“Is she treating you ok? Jace holds her hand through the bars.

“Well better than you both"

“Yeah! At least you get clothes” Simon huffs.

“I don’t known if she has a curiosity or thinks I have valuable information worth learning. She was keen to know about jumping dimensions"

“You can’t tell her anything Clary!” Jace squeezes her hand. Clary’s eyes well up at the touch and her eyes turn golden again.

Suddenly a portal appears and sweeps over Clary, immediately reappearing on the other side of the Cell.

“How did you do that” Jace is full of surprise and immediately hugs Clary.

Simon gets up and vampire speed and joins Jace to hug Clary, “Fray!”

“Umm Simon? I know you’re happy to see Clary too but dude you’re cock is pressing right up against my knee" Jace growls

“Sorry” Simon blushes.

“I don’t know how the portal...” Clary is puzzled and her face is full of confusion.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Simon tuts. They both look at him with blank expressions, “Earlier Clary bound both of you to me with the alliance rune and Magnus shot sunlight at Asmodeus the other week"

“Yea but how?” Jace exclaims

“Really?” Simon rolls his eyes, “You’re not just activating runes without a stele… you’re drawing them!”

Clary seems dubious but it’s a good explanation of recent events, maybe it’s true.

“pssst" a voice whispers round the corner. Jonathan appears, exceedingly cautious in his approach.

“Jonathan? What are you doing here" Clary asks startled.

“You’re after the book right?” Jonathan shakes, “The blank small leather one with the angelic rune on it? It popped up here a few hours before you arrived that’s why she has kept you around she knows it’s all connected”

“Why tell us that?” Simon growls, his fangs descend.

“I can get it, if you take me with you"

“Jonathan you can’t expect me to believe...” Clary starts

“You have no idea what she is capable of. All I wanted was to have a family, to have my sister, to be loved. I thought I finally had that when you joined me but you... she, she just grew in power and cruelty. The things she has done! She is more savage than even Lilith was.”

“You’re scared of her" Jace looks up and down the scrawny gaunt Jonathan, a shell of what he was like in their dimension.

“I just wanted my sister" he looks down trembling. He places his hands through the bar and Clary takes hold of them, she had killed Jonathan in her reality because she had to stop him, but she felt the pain of loosing her brother of not being able to save her. Likewise this Jonathan had hoped to find his equal only to be surpassed by his Clary, “Your just like I remember" he cries with tears down his face. Jonathan was not a good guy but he loved Clary and he loved who she was not what she had become thanks to the twinning rune, even if at first it had seemed to go well.

“Ok we’ll do it” Jace says sharply

“Jace, we can’t...” Clary starts

“Clary we can, Look at him, I think we can trust him and if saving him means getting the codex then we should do it" Jace's eyes widen and his stare penetrates Clary. She understands what he is passively communicating to her; after all they don’t quite understand how they jump dimensions.

“How soon can you get the book?” Clary asks.

A light flickered in Jonathan’s eyes as he realises he gets to leave this place and be with his sister forever.

“30 minutes! She’s playing with the puppies she’ll be busy for at least an hour" he runs off.

“We shouldn’t have said...”

“We need the book Clary!” Jace crosses his arms.

“And what if it’s a trap?”

“You still have the device?” Simon tries to change the tone

“Yea, they took my stele but they clearly didn’t know what this is or that it’s valuable” Clary pulls out the device from her pocket.

**\---AU 23 Scene 5---**

Jace holds Clary as they wait. Simon sits with his arms folded. Jace had found it somewhat distracting when Simon had been pacing the room. Given that they were naked Simon’s large cock had been swinging about like a pendulum.

A flustered Jonathan runs up to the cell and taking out his stele draws the unlock rune, waving a small black leather book.

“Hurry, they are right behind us” Jonathan pants out of breath.

They quickly bolt out of the cell and follow Jonathan as a horde of demons emerge down the hallway.

Simon looks back briefly and sees the countless demons chasing them, and not just on the floor, they crawl at great speed across the walls and ceiling too.

“We need a moment to activate the jump is there anywhere quiet we can go?” Jace pants

“Quiet?” Jonathan pulls a baffled look, “The only place would be the throne room. It’s designed to be barricaded in the event of an attack on Clary. But it’s the opposite end of the palace”

Clary’s eyes glow gold again and a portal appears in front of them. Clary jumps through followed by Jonathan, Jace and Simon before the portal collapse.

They appear in the throne room, currently empty.

“Quickly" Jonathan slides massive wooden bars carved with demonic protection runes along the drop-open bar locks of the main door, “The side doors"

Clary runs to the door at the back of the room, Simon takes the left side door and Jace the right.

After securing the doors Jonathan draws additional angelic runes designed to ward off demons.

The doors start to bang.

“It won’t hold long if she comes"

Clary grabs the book and inspects it with the device checking the quantum signature, “This is it!”

“Don’t snatch" Jonathan frowns.

The main doors bang strongly, giving slightly. Dust comes through the cracks at the force of the impact.

“It's Clary" Jonathan’s eyes widen with fear, “Hurry!”

“Everyone hold on to the device" Jace states. Clary keeps a firm grasp of the codex book.

She draws the rune and just as the doors smash open, wooden shards and dust spray everywhere, a flash of light goes off.

Jonathan coughs as the dust goes into his lungs. It settles around him and he sees that they are gone, “Clary? CLARY! NO! NO CLARY COME BACK! DONT LEAVE ME HERE" Streams of tears fall down his dusty cheeks leaving streaks of clean skin.

He feels a strong hand placed on his shoulder and shudders as he turns round to see Queen Clary of Edom standing over him. He trembles at the sight.

**\---back home---**

A flash of light appears in Alec and Magnus’s apartment. Alec stops brushing his teeth in the ensuite and runs out in just a t-shirt and boxers.

Magnus comes out of the kitchen to see the commotion.

“You're back" Alec beams before stuttering “and...naked"

Magnus whacks his husband on the chest.

“Are you all ok?” Magnus asks, “You look like you’ve been through hell"

Clary hands Alec the book with a blank vacant expression, “Can I crash here”

Magnus nods and points to the spare room.

Clary walks towards the room in a zombie like state.

She closes the door behind her. When she catches a glimpse of the mirror she looks into it and she seems lifeless somehow, is that even her looking back in the mirror?

Jace enters the room, now clothed rather quickly.

“Clary...?”

“Jace, sorry but I just need to sleep and be alone right now"

Jace’s forehead scrunches with worry lines “I’m not sure that’s a good idea you don’t look... you’re not ok!”

“We abandoned him...I abandoned him" Clary turns to stare at Jace with almost gormless eyes, “why did you tell him we would take him with us"

“The same reason you didn’t tell him we can’t, we needed the codex Clary. That was the same demon blooded Jonathan we encounter in our world, even if we could have found a way to bring him with us you know we wouldn’t have"

Clary shoots a death glare at Jace, he’s right but she hates that he is right. Yes they had used Jonathan but there was no other way.

“You’re mad I lied to him" Jace sighs.

“Yes" Clary doesn’t hesitate, “but I’m equally mad that I’m mad at you. And I’m mad that I failed him, again!”

“No Clary you didn’t...” Jace goes to hug Clary but she squirms and pushes him away.

“I just...I’m sorry...I just need to be alone tonight”

Jace’s eyes well up but he understands how emotional the last universe had been. He nods his head and leaves the room, gently closing the door behind him.

The second the door is shut Clary starts to break down in tears, her boy in the tower, the boy she always wanted to save, but no matter what she tries she never could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed visiting these worlds that could have happened on the show had things turned out differently.  
I am not sure when the next chapter is out, please let me know if you want me to keep going in the comments, what you like, what your theories are etc I love hearing from you guys


	13. Alec gets an election

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The elections get heated and the others return from their AU adventures.

**\---Scene 1---**

Alec sighs, still half asleep.

“You know I enjoy our training sessions but it’s 6am and I’ve got to get ready" Alec was nervous given it was the last time of the elections.

“You’re stressed" Magnus raises his eye brow.

“It’s been over 36 hours and they are still not back yet. What if they are trapped in another universe? Not to mention it’s we only have 2 days left before the members of the Clave cast their vote"

Alec paces, looking at Magnus who holds the same expression of raised eyebrows with a slight tilt of his head.

Alec bows his head slightly, “I’m being terrible aren't I?”

“No, no. Well a little but you just need to take it out on something, something that is not me “

Magnus’s lips curl up into a half smile. Alec’s eyes however widen, “Oh god, have I? I’ve been salty Alec again haven't I? I hadn’t even noticed. I’m sorry if I’ve been snapping or anything"

“I can handle a bit of sass Alexander, but that’s not what I meant" Magnus raises his eye brows again as if to say _take the hint_.

When Alec pulls a confused face Magnus rolls his eyes, sighs slightly and chuckles at his innocence. “even with my new stamina rune, and my natural and gifted talents, there are limits to what I can endure dear husband"

_Oh_ Thought Alec, finally clicking what Magnus was saying, “I guess I have been directing some restlessness into the bedroom"

Magnus accidently lets out a brief but loud laugh, “Sweetie, last night you slammed yourself down so hard I thought it would snap off and get lost half way inside you!”

Alec blushes, _how does he do that_ thought Magnus, even after all their escapades as a couple in which Alec embraces his likes and (albeit mild) kinks, he can still be so innocent.

“How about some Archery?” Magnus suggests summoning Alec’s famous bow and quiver, “haven’t see you do that in a very long time"

With a flick of a wrist Magnus conjures an Archery target at the opposite end of the living space.

“Magnus you don’t even know how...” Alec is cut off by Magnus rapidly raising the bow, releasing the arrow and hitting the target dead on.

“How’d you do that?” Alec asks stunned.

“We share abilities” Magnus holds his hand to his heart where their alliance/wedded union rune are. “Don’t act surprised, your magic is as powerful as mine”

“Yeah but I can’t control it like you can"

“Alec you control your magic exceptionally well considering how little time you have had it. Honestly you have a better grip on it than a young warlock of 120”

“Can we practice _that_?” Alec gets giddy.

“Oh alright" Magnus rolls his eyes, “But let’s not do lightening spells again, took me a week to stop getting static shocks in the loft after that session"

“Ok, how about hellmist? Would be good in battle? Mute energy spells?” Alec was like a puppy with excitement.

“Powerful brute force spells you have got down pup. But you need to also learn how to how to use more precise and delicate spells. Like a surgeon”

“You have something in mind?

**\--- Scene 2---**

**(Mildly explicit/smutty)**

“You did amazing" Magnus beams

Alec rolls his eyes, “Asking me to take your clothes off seemed so much fun at first"

“Oh please you enjoyed every second, the slow reveal, the anticipation” Magnus chuckles.

“I think you think the idea of removing the thread and undoing every seam in your clothes was more erotic than it was"

Alec folds his hands and taps his feet.

“But you didn’t rip anything or snap the thread. That’s amazing. And you can’t say it wasn’t erotic; that piece by piece you undid every item of clothing I had until you had me naked in front of you"

Alec rolls his eyes and they keep walking, “Sure, it might have been erotic if we then got to have some fun but then it took twice as long re-sowing the seams magically"

“I promise next time I ask you to remove my clothes we can have sex" Magnus just chuckles, “You sure you don’t want me to come in with you?” Magnus asks as they reach the door in the extravagant hallway.

“I think it’s best I don’t antagonize Dearborn any more than I need to right now"

“Ok I’ll see you soon husband" Magnus pulls Alec in for a quick peck. Alec still closes his eyes and moans slightly at the tender but brief kiss.

Alec opens the door and enters the room, closing the door behind him as Magnus heads off.

“Mr Lightwood-Bane" Lydia stands and holds out her hand which Alec gladly shakes.

“Inquisitor” Alec shakes Lydia’s hand fondly, “Mr Dearborn"

“Mr Lightwood” Horace rolls his eyes, “and shouldn’t it be Interim Inquisitor?”

“Shouldn’t it be Lightwood-Bane?” Alec retorts.

Lydia struggles to maintain composure at the put down, “Gentlemen, if we are done with the pleasantries you both have campaigns to run and I an election”

“I don’t know why you insisted on having daily briefings with the candidates, _Madam Inquisitor_” Horace crosses his arms like a petulant child.

“As I said yesterday, this is your opportunity to raise any concerns and likewise for me to raise any issues with yourselves” Lydia stares him down.

Alec looks at Lydia, she was always a strong character but there was a twinkle in her eye and Lydia looked more comfortable than Alec had ever seen her. The role really suited her.

“Madam Inquisitor I did want to ask about the practicalities of the gathering votes by on duty shadowhunters" Alec crossed his legs and leaned into the green leather armchair, identical to the one next to him where Dearborn sat, both of them facing Lydia who was sat behind an imposing oak desk.

“We’ve arranged Warlocks for portal runs throughout tomorrow, each institute has been covered by the schedule, each will have four windows for on duty hunters to portal and cast their vote to ensure proper staffing levels at all locations. You are both welcome to scrutinise the schedule, it will be published publically within an hour of this meeting”

Alec simply nods, impressed that something had already been organised.

“I have further nothing to raise" Horace's eyes stared into the distance.

“Ok then there is only one matter I wish to raise" Lydia pulls on her jacket to straighten it, “I have had some complaints regarding the nature of campaign literature that has been distributed”

Horace squirms in his seat, as if he just sat on a cake and felt uncomfortable by the mess under him.

“I would like to remind both candidates, both of you, that there are rules of conduct in this election.”

Horace’s face remains blank and expressionless but his eyes have a gleam of annoyance in them, “Madam Inquisitor I will not be accused of...”

“She hasn’t even said it’s you” Alec interiors before muttering under his breath _dumbass_.

“Indeed. I am not accusing you of anything Horace”

Lydia’s professional facade stutters at the use of his first name.

“I am aware that you will both have rather large campaigns teams and you will not have sight of every leaflet or fire message distributed. I am asking that you are clear with your teams on what is and what is not permissible- I’m giving you both the opportunity to ensure there is no untoward behaviour from your teams. I expect a clean fair election; focus on the politics I don’t want to see any slander!”

Both Alec and Horace stay still.

“Is that clear gentleman!” Lydia rises from her chair.

“Yes Mam" Alec sits up straight.

“Yes...Inquisitor" Horace bites his teeth, “Is that all"

Lydia simply nods her head forward and doesn’t respond verbally.

“Well then” Horace slaps his hands to his knees and gets up out the chair, “I have an election to win, I’ll see you both same time tomorrow”

As Alec gets up to leave, Lydia calmly asks “Mr Lightwood-Bane please stay a moment"

Horace walks out the door with a visible smile that makes Alec raise an eyebrow. The door closes behind him.

“What did he say?” Alec rolls his eye.

“He has concerns that the warlocks will try to use magic to influence peoples to vote for you. Specifically his concern was your connection to the High Warlock of Alicante”

“Husband, Lydia. Connection? Makes it sound like I meet Magnus once a month at a knitting social” Alec huffs.

“Husband” Lydia corrects herself, there was a momentary chuckle from her. A realisation that in a room of just her and Alec she had said husband, something she thought would happen a few years ago but under very different circumstances. It was the right thing to do, to reassure Alec at the wedding to follow his heart. Lydia held no grudge she just found it amusing.

“So you want to investigate this?”

“Pft no" Lydia waves a hand, “I said I would mention it with you privately as per his request, to offer reassurance. I had pointed out that unless he has evidence I can’t investigate on conjecture”

“So was that the talk?”

“Not really much more to investigate is there Alec" Lydia smiled

“Out of curiosity what did Dearborn's material say?”

“I don’t think you want to see" Lydia shakes her head.

“Oh come on" Alec teases

“One of his supporters made this, sent it to about 20 people before we stopped him and seized them" Lydia opens her drawer and hands Alec a piece of paper.

On the paper was a crass drawing of Alec, his pants down to his ankles and with Magnus’s arm embedded deep into his ass to the elbow. The text read _don’t elect a puppet of the Downworld, vote Dearborn_.

“Uncanny, that _is_ the face I pull when he does that" Alec jokes.

Lydia places her hand on her forehead, “Alec sometimes there is sharing and then there is _sharing_”

Lydia and Alec both laugh.

“He’s an idiot, these stunts are going to backfire on him, my teams polling shows a lot of the moderates are put off by his antics" Alec shrugs.

“Maybe, but his supporters seen to just get more, fanatic” Lydia sighs, “makes conducting these elections fun for me"

Alec bears a gently smile, as if to apologise for putting her in the position of having to deal with that.

“Out of curiosity, why did you keep this office? And not take over my old one; it is the inquisitor’s office you know"

Lydia shrugs, “It’s just a temporary gig, I make no assumptions I’ll be in the role once someone is elected Alec, not even you"

“Lydia”

“Alec, I don’t want you to make promises you can’t or wont keep and I don’t want it being said I’ve been influenced in my duties by offers from candidates so I will ask that you do not disclose any of your views on what you plan to do with the role after the election” Lydia crosses her arms as she leans back against the oak desk

Alec nods thoughtfully.

**\--- Scene 3---**

“How is the High Warlock of Alicante?” Alec smiles as he makes them both martinis.

Magnus is lying on the sofa with a book. Alec lifts his feet up off one end and sits down; placing Magnus’s feet back on to his lap. Handing the warlock a martini Magnus grins and throws his book dramatically over the back of the sofa.

“Better now" Magnus sips, “How was your day?”

Alec holds Magnus’s feet in his grasp, not quite massaging them but gently caressing.

“I don’t think I’ve visited so many institutes in a single day in my life. Was annoying I couldn’t portal myself and had to rely on others" Alec had gotten so use to making portals himself that it was an inconvenience that he had to rely on a warlock to open portals everywhere.

Alec’s smile drops slightly, “It’s been good at distracting me from worrying; about Jace and Simon and Clary"

“We knew this could take days. Try not to worry pup"

“What about you? How was your meeting of the warlocks?” Alec asks eager to change the subject.

“Obviously they are nervous about Horace winning. There was a discussion about what action we’d take if he is elected"

“Where’s the faith babe?” Alec teases

“Oh you know I think you’ve got this but as a leader… we need to prepare for every eventuality"

Magnus sits up a bit more to place a gentle kiss on Alec’s cheek.

“Does you preparations include magically making his balls fall off if he wins?”

Magnus lets out a loud belly laugh.

“I should have suggested it” Magnus smiles, “Well he has made it clear he will revoke our rights to stay here. Many wanted to fight if he does... after all why should we leave _our_ homes now we’ve settled”

Alec shows concern.

“Don’t worry; the end consensus is we don’t want to start a war with the Clave. But diplomatically such action would likely result in withdrawal of Warlock services from the Clave. My people are speaking with my counterparts around the world. The Clave has always been more reliant on our magic than they like to admit"

“Hmm" Alec agrees.

“Chinese tonight?”

Magnus rubs his large hands along Alec’s shoulder. Alec turns his head and leans towards Magnus and places a kiss on his lips. It’s soft, full of tenderness, but also of exhaustion.

“I’ll take that as a yes. Duck? Plum sauce?”

Alec’s eyes light up, it was his favourite.

“You’re going to make me plump Magnus" Alec laughs holding his belly.

“I’m sure I can find a way to help you burn off those extra calories"

From the other side of the room a flame streaks across towards Alec, not with speed and intent like normal but gentle and floating like a leave falling from a tree.

Alec reaches out and grabs the slip of paper. His grin was super-human.

“It’s from Mom, Luke asked her and she said yes. They’re getting married"

“Oh I wonder if they need a wedding planning yet" Magnus squeals, no one throws a celebration or a wedding like Magnus Lightwood-Bane.

**\--- Scene 4---**

“Lexi, what are we seeing in South East Asia enclave?" Alec asks.

The room looks more like a main ops centre of an institute. The centre of the room is a large interactive table surrounded by a dozen heads of conclaves and enclaves from around the world. Izzy and Alec glance around the room at the heavy hitters.

“I’ve spoken to the heads of my institutes to get a feel. It’s very much in your favour. Dearborn's plan to induce panic by revealing the angels are no longer _in contact_ seems to have backfired. Many feel you’re a bit too progressive but you have a proven track record with crisis and Dearborn does not. They’d rather have a radical that can get the job done than an isolationist without your record"

“We’re seeing something similar in the Nordics” Evan Valtersen was head of the Nordic enclave and based at the Oslo Institute. Evan had dark blond hair slicked back and piercing blue eyes, he is quite tall but not as tall as Alec and a medium build. For a shadowhunter Evan liked to wear a lot of layers in casual wear (especially hoodies) rather than a typical black ensemble, and so many of his runes were on his forearm, stomach and neck- basically the places he could quickly access. On a visit to the Nordic enclave during Alec's time as Inquisitor, Evan had invited him to join him and his husband Isak for dinner. Alec found Evan and Isak to be quite an adorable couple.

“I’m getting a lot of protest votes in Aegean and Black" the low gruff voice of Nichita Flamewater spoke. Nichita was a muscular man but was never intimidating to be next to. He had a near shaved head of dark blond hair, a largish nose that bulged outwards just below the bridge, and sunken eyes that had dark pupils as if they were pure black. He was based at the Chisinau Institute and looked after institutes that surround the around the Aegean and Black Seas.

“Protest how?” Izzy enquired before Alec could jump in. Nichita may not have as radical views as Alec but when they were recruiting for Jia’s operations team he had gladly supported them knowing that any political differences were inconsequential compared to their mission. In fact Alec had been quite shocked initially at his support but grew to really respect him.

Izzy knew that Nichita found her intriguing, Izzy wouldn’t exactly say she was using her sex appeal like in the old days but Nichita did take a liking to her and found commonality in their love of weaponry.

“The wont vote for Horace, they loath him. But they won’t support Alec either, they do like him personally but not his politics. I think you can expect a lot if abstentions"

“An abstention is better than a vote for Horace I suppose" Alec shrugs.

“Is it worth Alec visiting? Maybe a few key institutes if you can recommend them?” Izzy probes

“For the most part I doubt it, I think they are more likely to listen to someone else other than Alec, Evan maybe" Nichita turns to look at Evan, “Evan do you think you could spare a couple of hours later today?”

Evan nods, semi-enthusiastic. He wanted to keep pushing in his own enclave but they mostly supported Alec and the institutes in Aegean and Black sea region did have good relationships with him, Evan was beloved throughout the various enclaves on the European continent.

“We might also need to think about releasing some of the information we know about what is really going on" Lexi raises the point, “If Dearborn is going to capitalise on the current situation with the Angels we need to combat that"

Alec looks deep in thought.

“We can’t keep this a secret forever but we also can’t have mass panic" Evan adds.

“We can’t hide the truth forever, and neither should we" Alec concedes, “but you’re right Evan, we can’t have mass panic, we need to think about how we release this information"

“And letting people know about Clary’s return will be...controversial" Izzy reflects on the fact that some, especially Horace’s supporters view Clary's punishment of loosing her memories as demonstrating the will of the Angels in regards to her radical approaches to downworlder relations. After all it was binding shadowhunters to Downworlders that led to the Angels threatening to punish her.

The meeting continues for thirty more minutes after Alec places the issue of the angels and Clary on hold, at least for now, to focus on the campaign. One by one they portalled out.

Izzy groans slightly and holds her right thigh.

“Iz? You ok?”

Alec wonders if she has hurt herself in training again.

“Just a sharp shooting pain, nothing an Iratzi won’t fix. Had it a few times now" Izzy sits down and takes her leg off, gently placing it by her chair.

“If you’re still injured from... New York, maybe you should see Catarina" Alec squats down in front of her.

“Why Cat?”

“Like you would listen to any of our medics" Alec chuckles and Izzy nods agreeing with the point.

“It’s probably just discomfort from the leg, takes some getting used; a new one"

Alec raises an eyebrow at that, “Still, maybe get it checked out"

**\---Scene 5---**

**(Mildly explicit/Smutty)**

Alec let the warm water flow down his back, it had been a long day and a hot shower was just what he needed.

“Coffee?” Alec hears Magnus call out from the other side of the apartment.

“No, thanks" Alec shouts. Magnus was planning to stay up a bit longer, despite both of their exhaustion, to send correspondence to other high warlock about the current situation in Alicante.

Alec turns the water off and steps out the shower, half wishing his husband had been in the shower with him. With a large towel he dries his body and hair and throws on a pair of black boxers. Looking in his drawer of underwear he was tempted to put on a tempting jockstrap to tease Magnus but Alec needed to get some sleep before tomorrow, voting would close at lunch time and the results would be released in the early evening.

He grabs a plain t-shirt and pulls it over before heading to the sink to brush his teeth.

From the corner of his eyes a flash of light coming from the living room. He spits and runs out of the ensuite still in just boxers and a t-shirt.

Magnus comes out of the kitchen to see the commotion. Placing his coffee down on the kitchen counter top.

Alec sees the faces of Clary, Simon and Jace, worn out and exhausted. Alec runs towards them, “You're back" he beams before stuttering “and...naked"

Alec looks down and sees a completely naked Jace and Simon. _Goodness he’s even bigger than Magnus_ Alec thinks shocked at the size of Simon’s limp cock. He had seen his Parabatai naked many times before, but the two naked men in front of him were quite a shock really.

Magnus whacks his husband on the chest. He knows his husband; the sight of a big dick was like dangling a piece of jewellery in front of a magpie.

“Are you all ok?” Magnus asks, “You look like you’ve been through hell"

Magnus couldn’t help but notice the reddish sand coating their feet was familiar. Magnus also observes the alliance runes on their bodies which disappeared after a brief golden flash of Clary’s eyes which she herself hadn’t noticed doing.

Clary hands Alec a small black leather book with a blank vacant expression, “Can I crash here?”

Magnus nods and points to the spare room.

Clary walks towards the room in a zombie like state.

_Just what in the hell has happened? _Magnus pondered.

Clary closes the door behind her.

“Clothes?” Jace demands

Alec flicks his wrists and a blue flash later Jace was clothed in a pair of Jeans and a black t-shirt.

Jace quickly heads into the room Clary is in.

“Umm chief, think you could do the same for me? Or would you prefer I stay like this" Simon cross his arms.

It takes Alec a moment to react, its not that he is attracted to Simon or ever thought about Simon in any way other than an annoyance and he still doesn’t, but Alec was a magpie, and that huge limp cock was defiantly a distraction.

Magnus rolls his eyes.

“I guess I appeal to Lightwoods of all genders" Simon chuckles.

Alec blushes and Magnus snaps his fingers to clothe Simon in items which were more Raphael’s style.

“Are these?” Simon pulls at the Jacket, recognising the owner.

“Raphael had some old things he left here. He hasn’t always lived at the Dumort you know" Magnus smiles fondly remembering a time in the 80s when Raphael just needed his pseudo-father when he struggled with his mother’s death.

Alec tries to hide his embarrassment.

“That doesn’t bother you?” Simon asks nodding towards Alec.

“Oh he can look all he wants. I know whose bed he'll end up in at the end of the night” Magnus teases a thoroughly embarrassed Alec.

“Ah look but don’t touch" Simon laughs as he jumps backwards on to the sofa, “Not to be ungrateful but could you change the size, I think Raphael was more slender than I remember”

Alec couldn’t help but notice the pants were indeed a bit tight on Simon and did nothing to hide the obscene outline of his penis which snaked down his thigh.

“On second thought maybe they are fine the way they are, what do you think Alec?” Simon laughed looking at a beetroot red faced Alec

Magnus felt no insecurities with Alec, and nodded his head in agreement. Magnus leans into Simon’s ears and whispers something which makes Simon chuckle.

With a flick of his own wrist Magnus’s pants become tighter, they’ve defiantly shrunk a size.

Magnus sits down eloquently next to Simon. Both of them obscenely on show as the tight pants shows the clear outlines of both their large cocks.

“Something distracting you Husband"

“Assholes" Alec mutters at the teasing which leads to loud laughter from both Simon and Magnus.

“So are you going to tell me what the fuck happened or make fun of me?"

Simon sighed; the momentary distraction had been helpful at clearing his mind from the exhausting and at times perilous mission.

Jace enters the room, looking defeated and worn out. His eyes are inflated and shiny. It completely changes the tone of the room.

Alec can sense his Parabatai's sorrow and through their binding Magnus could to some extent.

Alec goes and wraps his arms around Jace as he bursts into a sobbing mess in a way they hadn’t seen since Clary lost her memories or when he begged Alec to kill him when he was under Lilith’s control.

“I think we best give them some Parabatai alone time" Magnus gently whispers as he pulls Simon up and directs him to the Balcony.

After they walk onto the Balcony, air crisp and cold, Magnus magically draws the curtains inside to give Alec and Jace privacy. He conjures a cocktail for himself and a glass of blood for Simon.

“Mmm" Simon moans gently at the taste, “Is that vodka in there"

“You look like you needed something stronger than O-neg but we both know you don’t handle plasma well"

Simon tuts and starts to sip the blood.

**\--- Scene 6---**

“You did what had to be done" Alec reassures Jace.

Jace melts into Alec’s embrace, the only other person who Jace felt able to be vulnerable with after Clary was his Parabatai.

“It killed her, to leave Jonathan behind. I took away hope from her, hope that she could save him after all, hope that she had a second chance at it all" Jace sobs.

Alec tightens his grip around Jace's chest. He sits behind Jace, his chest to his back. Alec leans over and kisses him on the head in a reassuring familial way.

“She'll come around, she loves you Jace. She just needs time to process it"

“Does she? Love me?” Jace’s pondering shocks Alec.

“How can you even think she doesn’t, you two were meant to be together. That used to irritate the hell out of me; she was so annoying when we first met" Alec chuckles in an attempt to lighten the mood.

“For a while now, sometimes it feels, I don’t know. With everything that has been going on maybe we just haven't had the time to be a couple and her mind is elsewhere with the work. I know this is important stuff we are doing but it puts a strain on her. And there’s been this distance between us like she is holding back”

Alec sighs, “Don’t spiral. She loves you and you know it”

“Sometimes it feels like I never got her back, not fully, not after going through everything we have. I’m scared I can’t give her what she needs anymore. She won’t let me in"

Alec moves an arm up to his hair, running his fingers along Jace’s scalp to calm him.

“Don't you think you maybe over thinking this?”

Jace shrugs. Honestly he is just exhausted by everything that has been going on.

**\--- Scene 7---**

“Jace domesticated?” Magnus smiled and let out a brief laugh, “Hard to picture"

“I think he was quite freaked out by that to be honest"

Simon continued sipped the last of his drink. Looking down the empty glass he seemed a bit disappointed which Magnus picked up on and magically refilled perking the vampire up.

“I can’t say I’m surprised. Jace has never been one to give in to his feelings. Being confronted by a version of himself that had done that with a version of you must have a shock"

Simon shrugs, “I mean the idea of him sleeping with another man would have grossed him out”

“I think it’s more the fact it was you" teases Magnus.

Simon rolls his eyes, “thanks"

“Not like that. I just mean, you two have a bond and to see that bond expressed in a loving committed relationship would have freaked him out"

Simon places the glass of blood and vodka on the table, “bond?”

“You and Jace, there is a bond there”

“What?” Simon asks in shock, “No, wait, we don’t have a, I don’t like him like that and he certainly doesn’t like me like that"

“I’m not saying it has to be a romantic one but there has been a bond between you for a while now, and not just the last year"

“Ok so we’ve become friendly but he used to really hate me. And honestly I wasn’t his biggest fan either” Simon huffs

Magnus sighs, “There was a bond since you guys met! I noticed it when you brought Luke to see me for that nasty alpha wolf bite"

“We hated each other then" Simon scolds Magnus

“Did you? There was always a tension there...”

“Because we both wanted to be with Clary!” Simon protests loudly

“I don’t think it was that. There was a tension there because you two were fighting a bond that was clearly there" Magnus refills his cocktail with a flick of his hand, “There is not much research or information on alternative dimensions and universes but it does seem to me that some bonds just exists across all worlds. Like you and Clary, in this universe you’ve been lovers, in that other world you told me about you were Parabatai. In some shape or form there is as bond.”

“Well there is no bond and if there was it’s not like _that_! He’s straight Magnus!”

Simon’s fangs involuntarily drop much to Magnus’s amusement.

“As I keep saying, it doesn’t have to be a romantic bond but there was something there.”

“we are good friends, just" Simon takes a large gulp of the blood.

“Good!” Magnus fiddles his fingers before asking the question, “but if you did want more than that that would be ok, to have those feelings.”

“Well I don't. And even if I did I’m not going to cheat on Izzy! For fucks sake Magnus I’ve had all this shit from Izzy trying to get me hooking up with guys and YOU of all people should know that being Bi doesn’t mean I need to sleep around and be with multiple genders at the same time!”

“I’m not saying cheat on Izzy, Simon Lewis" Magnus says defensively before sighing and rubbing his forehead, “I’m not suggesting you can’t be Bi and faithful. This isn’t about your sexuality. This is about your feelings. I’m saying if you do have feelings that’s ok but you do need to work it out, especially because you’re with Izzy. If you _do_ have feelings of a romantic nature...”

“Where the fuck has this come from?”

“Honestly?”

Simon crosses his arms angrily, “Yes, honestly"

“When you described the world where the two of you were married, I don’t know, you seemed to have this sparkle, jealousy and giddiness I’ve not seen from you in a long while. Like you were pleased to find a world where you two were together and wished you had that here"

Simon blushes and he brushes it off as simply the result of excessive amounts of the blood and vodka, “You're misreading this and if you carry on I’m going to bite you" he says trying to play it off as semi-playful.

Simon takes in the awkward pause of silence before deciding to change the subject.

“I best start making a read through of the codex.”

“You need rest, read it tomorrow when everyone is busy campaigning for the last few votes" Magnus magically refilled the glass of blood again.

**\--- Scene 8---**

Izzy shivers slightly in the cold. Magnus snaps his fingers and a warm thick jacket surrounds Izzy.

“This is why you’re my favourite brother-in-law” Izzy smiles.

Jace rolls his eyes, “He’s your only brother-in-law”. Izzy and Magnus giggle at the snappy Jace. He was still on edge about Clary and wished she was here but as far as the majority of the shadowhunters knew, she was still in New York with no memory of this world.

“You wouldn’t have thought it would take this long to do a damn count” Jace huffs looking at his phone, the time reading 10.12pm

Angel square was packed with thousands of shadowhunters. Thankfully the three of them were on a large terraced balcony to the side of the accords hall full of council members and other officials. As they were family of a candidate they got to join the high ranking members of shadowhunter society.

The crowds below were restless but there was a real excitement in the air.

Magnus tapped Izzy and Jace's shoulder and they turn round to see on a different balcony Lydia step out, along with 2 guards, Horace and Alec.

The crowds quietened down as low whispers could be heard as everyone started to wonder who had won.

“Good evening” Lydia addresses the crowds with a microphone at the front of the Balcony. The crowd go from a quiet chatter to near dead silence.

“The votes have been counted and verified. In this election there were two candidates, Horace Dearborn and Alexander Gideon Lightwood-Bane”

The crowds loudly cheer as the names are read out.

“87,624 votes were cast"

The crowd roars at the nearly 90% turnout, almost unprecedented in the last 500 years.

“4,579 votes were spoilt or active abstentions” Lydia announces to a few loud gasps and shocks from the crowds below.

“An active abstention?” Magnus asks confused.

“It’s where they tick both candidate names in order to draw attention to the fact they are not really voting for either of them- it’s basically a protest vote. It’s quite high number though" Izzy sighs.

“It's probably 10 times more than normal but we knew there would be a lot who would abstain Iz" Jace chimes in.

Lydia continues, “The votes for the candidates are as follows. Horace Dearborn, 30,604. Alexander Gideon Lightwood-Bane 52,441”

Before Lydia even finished there was loud cheers as the crowds roared in jubilation.

“I hereby declare Alexander Gideon Lightwood-Bane duly elected to the position of Consul of the Clave"

**\---Scene 9---**

Simon was scribbling away on a notepad, looking at the codex and surrounded by reference books in Magnus’s study.

“How’s it going?” Clary asks as she enters the room. She looks exhausted and Simon straight away notices the signs of a Clary that didn’t sleep much last night, and its already the next night.

“Well, you know how the angels communicate in imagery, that plus the codex is in a jumble of ancient languages, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic. So it’s going slowly" Simon huffs in frustration.

“Nothing is ever easy is it?” Clary half smiles through the exhaustion.

Simon puts the pen down on the pad and spins the chair to face Clary.

“How about you?”

“What about me?” Clary moves into a defensive stance

“You’re not ok, you haven’t been ok since we’ve came back"

Clary relaxes slightly, it’s hard to be defensive with Simon, and he was her best friend.

“There’s just a lot to process after all those jumps" Clary clutches her side like there is as sharp pain there.

“Too busy to heal yourself with an Iratzi?” Simon asks with a raised eyebrow.

“Must have slept funny last night"

“Well you do look like you haven't slept at all” Simon shrugs.

Clary’s darts her eyes at Simon,

“Seriously you look hideous” Simon teases Clary with a smile

It makes Clary finally give in and smile as well, “Love you too Lewis"

**\---Scene 10---**

The celebrations continue late into the night as the crowds celebrate the results. Fireworks streak along the Idris starry sky in what Alec suspects is the handiwork of the local warlocks.

“Congratulations” Elena Larkspear approaches Alec who is laughing amongst conversation with several others. Hanging off his husband’s arm, Magnus himself full of smiles and Joy.

“Thank you Elena" Alec reaches out to shake her hand.

Magnus slips away as Elena and Alec talk. He heads towards Izzy and Jace who are talking to Helen Blackthorn but changes direction to given them space to talk, already picking up on the vibes of the conversation from 20 paces.

“Is there anything we can do?” Jace pleads sincerely.

“I’m sure she’d appreciate some more of your company. Last time you all visited it really helped. She is just so heartbroken over her mother. I wish I could do something more, to not make this painful but it is. She will barely leave the house, she’s not eating when I’m not there to push her" Helen’s eyes well up. Aline had struggled with her mother’s death, and as an only child felt she didn’t really have any siblings to be around for support. But the lightwoods had grown close to Jia and so Aline felt they understood her loss as a result.

“Maybe I could come round and cook for her sometime when you’re working" Izzy offers

“Izzy’s cooking; it would get Aline out of the house! As she flees in terror" Jace teases.

The joke brings a smile to Helen’s face but Izzy just whacks Jace on the chest, “Ass"

**\--- Scene 11---**

“Silencing rune" Simon shouts out across the apartment to Magnus and Alec.

“Any news?” Jace asks as he enters Magnus’s library, smiling down on Simon and still a bit tipsy from the celebrations.

“Someone’s drunk. Where’s Izzy?” Simon smiles.

“Still out with Lydia and some of the council delegates celebrating. I wondered where Alec and Magnus got to" Jace chuckles knowing they had headed home to celebrate in their own way.

“Is Clary not awake?” Simon asks, she had been training in the living room earlier.

“She’s was already sleep when I got in, I didn’t want to wake her with my drunken stumbling"

“Hmm so that’s why you’re bugging me instead of her" Simon teases

“Harsh" Jace grins

Simon nods, “She didn’t sleep well last night, so I guess it’s good she's fast sleep"

“I think we’re all a bit exhausted by everything. You didn’t seem to have slept much last night either. Did you want the comfy couch tonight?” Jace offers, there was only so much space in Magnus’s loft and Simon and Jace had slept on the two couches in the living room.

“No mine was fine, just something Magnus said to me last night" Simon sighs

“Want to talk about it?” Jace slaps his hand onto Simon’s shoulder and leaves it there. It was nothing Jace hadn’t done before, a friendly _bro_ move, but it makes Simon jump out of his seat.

Jace recoils with his hands up like someone is pointing a gun at him, “Si? You ok?”

Simon feels guilty for overreacting to the touch, “Yea, just need to work on this codex"

“Oh...okay" Jace sounds slightly wounded. Clary was being distant from him, now Simon, and Alec was so focused on the elections.

Simon rolls his eyes slightly at Jace looking hurt like a puppy that tripped up chasing its own tail. “Want to help me with the codex?”

Jace smiles and grabs a seat next to Simon, “ok what we got so far"

Simon shrugs, “Something about walls and telephones"

“Telephones? In Aramaic? They had a word for telephones in ancient Aramaic?” Jace raises an eyebrow.

“No, see this passage is Greek. τῆλε and φωνή; tēle-phōnē. It’s where the English word is derived from; together it is basically _distant voice_"

Jace reaches over to pick up the codex with an inquisitive and puzzled face, “huh" he shrugs. Simon as a vampire feels the heat radiating from Jace and his breath near his neck makes the hairs on the nape of his neck stand on end.

**\---Scene 12---**

**(Explicit/Smutty)**

Alec is a moaning dishevelled mess. He arches his back off the bed as Magnus's talented tongue runs along the sensitive entrance of his hole. Alec’s legs spread and held up by Magnus's strong arms.

Magnus loved seeing Alec fall to pieces.

Magnus moves away from Alec’s entrance and places small kisses and teasing bites along the inside of Alec’s thighs. Alec claws at the bed sheets, scrunching them up as he makes needy sounds.

After a few minutes of teasing Magnus's tongue finds its way back to Alec’s perfect hole and breaches the entrance.

“Urghhh" Alec cries out.

“Silencing rune" Alec and Magnus hear Simon call out from the other side of the apartment. It gives Magnus a wicked idea.

Pulling out his tongue Magnus crawls up the bed next to Alec’s side, “We can’t be so inconsiderate towards our house guests, so if you make too much sound...” Magnus pauses with a wicked smile on his face. Ramming two fingers into Alec’s hole his other hand covers Alec’s mouth and his muffled cries, “I won’t let you cum, understand?”

Alec nods and Magnus removes his hands from Alec’s lips as he continues to slide his fingers in and out of his hole.

Alec bites his lips, trembling, trying so desperately not to moan.

Magnus inserts a third finger and Alec can’t help let out the tiniest grunt.

“What did I say, _Consul_” Magnus teases

“Maybe you could stuff this mouth with something that will help keep me quiet?” Alec teases.

Magnus grabs Alec’s stele and activates his flexibility rune, the one Alec got shortly after they had first started having sex and figured Magnus wouldn’t have noticed.

Magnus bends Alec’s body like he is a contortionist. His head and upper chest remains on the bed as normal but from then onwards his body curves upwards, his ass high in the air above him.

Magnus, still holding Alec’s legs bent and in the air, kneels down with each knee on the mattress either side of Alec’s head. Magnus looks like someone knelt in prayer except this was a very different kind of worship.

He lowers his bottom half, Magnus lines up his cock with Alec’s mouth. Alec’s tongue is hanging out desperately.

Alec lifts his head up slightly, reaching for the thick head of Magnus’s cock as it touches his lips. Magnus continues to lower himself and Alec relaxes as his mouth fills with cock.

Alec’s moans are muffled by the silky engorged member slowly sliding into him. The pre-cum tastes delicious.

Magnus leans toward and again breaches Alec’s entrance with his tongue. The vibrations around his cock as Alec moans around his erection just makes Magnus more greedy in devouring Alec’s hole.

Thin strings of pre-cum dribble out of Alec’s cock and onto his chest.

Magnus keeps lowering himself until he bottoms out, Alec’s lips up against his pelvis, his cock buried fully down into Alec’s throat which leaves a visible outline of his cock where Alec’s throat is raised, and Magnus's thick heavy balls resting on Alec’s nose. Alec can’t help but inhale deeply, in order to breathe air but also take in the intoxicating aroma of his husband's junk.

Magnus starts rising slightly and then sitting back down in time with his tongue swirling around in Alec’s tight ass.

They build up quite the pace. Alec is in heaven as his body is basically used like a fuck doll by Magnus.

Alec focuses on contracting and relaxing his throat muscles to grips and work Magnus's throbbing horse sized cock.

Magnus starts to alternate between fingering Alec and fucking him with his tongue.

After 15 minutes Alec can’t hold out, Magnus's talented fingers and tongue have teased the sensitive entrance and played with his prostrate too much.

Alec’s mouth widens as he lets put a small gasp, Magnus’s cock still very my embedded in his throat.

As Alec gasps his own cock starts shooting his cum all over his chest and Magnus's, then dripping onto his face as Magnus picks ups the pace and fucks his throat.

Drops of cum splatter on Alec’s lips and he sticks his tongue out in order to reach the fresh cum and also to massage the huge cock that assaults him.

Magnus doesn’t stop rimming Alec and he soon joins Alec as Alec’s throat contracts and pulls his dick further down the rabbit hole. Magnus can’t hold back and with one final thrust buries his cock so deep in Alec’s throat as he unleashes what feels like a pint of cum down Alec’s throat and filling up his stomach. Alec moans around the feeling of Magnus's cock pulsating with every shot of warm, thick, delicious squirt of cum down his needy throat.

They collapse on each other and rest. “That was amazing" Alec pants as Magnus’s huge cock slides out of his throat and mouth.

Magnus basks in Alec’s glowing face. It won’t be long before round two.

**\---Scene 13---**

A loud knock booms throughout the apartment. Alec’s eyes reluctantly open, it had been a late night and there were no plans today. Alec wouldn’t be sworn in to office for another 2 days as the appropriate arrangements were made. Alec had been looking forward to the chance to recover from an exhausting few months- they all had.

“Lydia?” Alec hears a muffled Jace answer the door, “Izzy what's going on"

The doors to the bedroom swing open and Alec still half alert tries to cover his exposed torso with the covers. Magnus wakes up and looks almost perfect, as if he had had hours to get ready and put make up on.

“Lydia? What are you doing here?” Alec asks and everyone else rushes in to see what the commotion is.

Great thought Alec, an audience of Lydia, Jace, Simon, Izzy and Clary.

“Dearborn has taken over the accords hall” Lydia blurted out

“What?” Clary blurbs out in shock.

Izzy pants, the run from Angel square takes a toll whilst she is still getting used to a new leg. “He’s locked himself inside with 5000 supporters and demanding you step down as Consul"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment and feedback- it means the world to me to hear from you guys. 
> 
> For Jimon fans I have a Jimon story you can read at https://archiveofourown.org/works/21685135/


	14. Confrontations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izzy confronts Simon about his feelings  
Simon confronts Jace  
Alec confronts Horace Dearborn as the political situation spirals out of control- is civil war on the horizon?  
Clary finally confronts the world

**\--- Scene 1---**

“Elena" Alec calls as out as he arrives on the scene. The access to angel square gas been cordoned off by members of the Guard.

Scores of curious hunters are crushed up against the barricades, trying to sneak a peak of what is going on.

“Alec” Elena greats him, “I guess you’re being thrown in the deep end"

“Alec what do we do?” Lydia asks as she catches up to them at the centre of the square.

“Madam Inquisitor, I will remind you that Mr Lightwood-Bane is Consul elect and has not yet been sworn into office, until then it is the council that will be running this operation"

“Elena, we don’t have time for an argument over jurisdiction” Alec looks at her firmly as he sees Elena’s facade start to crumble. He can see it in her eyes, she doesn’t really know what to do and the weight of the world is on her shoulders and Alec knows that look all too well.

“Elena, it’s me he wants resigning"

Elena rolls her eyes, unsure, “Ok fine. We do this thing, but together understand?”

Alec nods, “So what have we got so far"

“27 minutes ago Horace and his supporters stormed the Accords hall; no one was expecting anything like this would happen. Security in the building have been detained by his forces but no injuries or fatalities"

“How do you know" Lydia asks

“Horace agreed to let a single medic come in and inspect them”

“Thank the angel" Lydia sighs. Was she responsible for this? She was in charge of the elections after all. Had she failed? She thought.

“Killing or hurting innocent shadowhunters won’t endear him to the population. Horace is smart enough to know this. Still we shouldn’t assume he won’t harm them if pushed" Alec points out

Elena nods, thinking it through, “then our first priority should be getting them out"

“Not through brute force, let’s see if Horace can be convinced to let them go" Alec thinks allowed

“I don’t think you should speak with him Alec, we need someone he will consider more... neutral"

“That’s me" Lydia shakes her head.

“Lydia, no!” Alec protests

“Alec, Horace may listen to her” Elena interjects

Alec bites his tongue, literally, “fine. Send the message" he shakes his head.

**\--- Scene 2---**

“Miss Branwell, he won’t face me himself then?” Horace meets Lydia at the entrance chamber, each with 1 person for security as per their fire message exchanges.

“I’m here to discuss the hostages Horace” Lydia asks.

“They’ve not been harmed; your medic has already confirmed that"

“Tell me what message it sends that you have taken hostages. They have no part in this. Let them go”

“Why would I do that, they are the only reason he hasn’t launched a full and bloody attack on us.”

“Alec has not been sworn in yet Horace, you know that! You’ll also know that this matter will therefore be dealt with by the council; your comrades in arms. These people know you Horace, they don’t want you harmed or anyone else for that matter” Lydia reasons with the man but his face as expressionless as ever and shows no signs of cracking.

“Half" Horace finally speaks, “as a gesture of good will"

Lydia sighs under her breath; it’s a start, “thank you”

“I am curious however, why the council sent you?”

“Was I at any point unfair or unreasonable with you during the election" Lydia points out.

Horace pauses, as if to study Lydia, “No. In fact you were quite... balanced"

Lydia nods

“Surprisingly so, give that pervert jilted you at the alter”

Lydia holds back any expression from her face; she wasn’t here to be roped in by Horace.

“I’ll have half of those in our care come out within 15 minutes, your people will keep a distance from the main entrance while they leave, if we think your about to storm the hall whilst we release them the other half may not have such a positive outcome. Understood?”

“Yes" Lydia simply replies.

“15 minutes, more than enough time for Alec to stop hiding behind the council’s skirt"

**\----Scene 3---**

Elena hangs up her phone and moves towards Alec who is talking to the Guard about tactical positions should Horace and his followers try to launch an attack.

“Alec they are sending fire messages asking people to join them. We have had a few portals into to the city already but have been able to restrain them, if the come en masse we’re going to start getting spread very thin very quickly"

Alec pulls his phone out of his pocket and dials Magnus.

“Alexander is everything ok I’ve been so worried" Magnus’s voice is shaky.

“I’m fine, I’m fine. I need wards raised up over Idris, ones strong enough to stop a portal breaking through. Like New York when the warlocks prevented Valentine from leaving" Alec talks fast given the urgency. “No one in or out"

“I’ll need to contact every warlock in Alicante but I can make it happen... I love you, be safe"

“I love you too" Alec hangs up.

“Elena, Alec, look" Lydia points towards the main entrance of the accords hall as 30 shadowhunters, still in uniform and bound at their hands walk towards the cordon boundary near the centre of the square.

Alec sighs a breath of release.

**\---Scene 4---**

**(Mildly Explicit/smutty)**

Izzy paces the room.

“Iz" Simon calls out, “Izzy, IZZY"

Izzy finally stops, her arms still flailing about as she doesn’t know what to do, “Sorry Simon, but I can’t just stay here doing nothing!”

“Let Alec deal with it, he will call us when and if he needs us" Simon moves over to her at vampire speed.

“I just hate feeling like I have nothing to do" Izzy huffs.

Simon wraps his arms around Izzy. Izzy is still feeling a bit tipsy from the night before.

“I’m sure I can find something for you to do" Simon kisses Izzy gently on the forehead.

“Oh?” Izzy smirks

“I was thinking that maybe you could help me with the Codex but if you have other ideas" Simon smiles.

Izzy loves that smile. Simon is just a great big dopey idiot but he is her great big dopey idiot.

Izzy grabs Simon’s hands and pulls him towards Magnus and Alec’s bedroom.

“They’ll know!” Simon hesitates; Magnus always notices anything out of place.

“It’s that or here where Clary and Jace could walk in on us at any time?” Izzy nibbles on his ear.

Clary and Jace were currently in the kitchen; Clary said she was going to bake cookies. It’s her go to activity for distracting herself when worrying. Simon remembered one time when her mum was having surgery to remove her appendix. Clary made at least 200 cookies that day.

“I don’t think my brother wants to see my wet cunt filled with your huge cock Si" Izzy’s nibble moves down to his neck.

Simon melts and gives in, _this is a bad idea_ Simon thinks about using Magnus and Alec’s bedroom. But how can he resist Izzy’s charms. Besides if this helps Izzy stop being worried then this must be a good thing.

**\---Scene 5---**   
**(Mildly Explicit/smutty)**

“How many of those are you going to make" Jace raises his eye brow.

Clary pulls out a tray of warm cookies and quickly replaces it with another tray of cookies to cook.

“Oh shut up" Clary teases Jace as she shoves a warm cookie in his mouth.

“Mmm, ‘s good" Jace moans. Clary smiles widely and Jace can’t help but notice the change in demeanour.

“Maybe Izzy would like some too"

Jace swallows the mouth full of warm cookie, “I think I heard her pulling Simon into Magnus and Alec’s bedroom"

“So we have the kitchen to ourselves" Clary flashes a devious smile.

Clary steps up to Jace and places her soft lips against his, parting them gently. Jace moans into the kiss. This was unexpected, but gratefully received. Clary had seemed so distant recently but it feels like it should be; tender, intimate and full of sparks that tingle throughout Jace’s body.

Clary places her fingers against Jace’s abs, teasing them as she kisses him.

“What’s gotten into you?” Jace smirks

“Guess I’ve just been feeling incredibly aroused the last half hour, honestly I thought the number of times I bent over to use that oven you would have taken the hint” Clary continues to kiss Jace.

Pulling back from the kiss, Clary lifts Jace’s t-shirt off and starts planting tiny little kisses all over his chest, eventually reaching his nipples and playfully biting and licking them.

“Ugh" Jace groans

“Agh...tsst" Clary cries out holding her side.

“Clary what is it? Are you ok" Jace fussed

“Just a stitch in the side”

**\---Scene 6---**

**(Explicit/Smutty)**

Simon drags his fangs along Izzy’s neck teasingly. It had taken them a long time to work out a balance for them both to indulge in their natural instincts and not to trigger Izzy’s cravings for venom.

Simon could scrape a little, maybe for a few minutes at most, as long as they were doing other stuff too so that those sensations took over Izzy before any craving could kick in.

Izzy digs her nails into Simon’s smooth back.

She moans as Simon buries all of himself inside her wet hole. There were runes in use that allowed him to go that deep without hurting Izzy. In fact thanks to the runes Izzy and Clary were the only two people he had ever been with that could take every inch he had to offer but he still fretted about hurting.

His thumb moves in circles over her clit which is brushed by Simon’s pelvis on each thrust.

The copious amounts of lubricating vampire pre-cum leaks all over the bedding as it dribbles out of Izzy’s hole every time Simon pulls out and splatters every time he thrusts in. There was no way Magnus and Alec would not notice this on the bedding but right now they were both in so much pleasure Simon didn’t care. Simon and Izzy were very worked up by now, they had been at it for about half an hour at this point and there was no stopping Simon from sliding his enormous cock in that velvety warm hole.

Simon was lost in the wet squelching sound as he thrust deep inside Izzy. He couldn’t quite shake the fact that the sound was exactly the same as when he overheard his AU counterpart fucking Jace. No he can’t be thinking of that whilst he is balls deep in Izzy. Fuck Magnus for messing with my head, he thought.

Simon starts to speed up, he can’t quite go full vampire speed with Izzy, she finds that too overwhelming but he can still build up to a speed most mundanes would find impressive.

The sound of squelching and skin slapping fills the room.

“Agh" Izzy cries out in pain.

Simon stops and pulls out immediately, “I’m so sorry, did I hurt you?”

Izzy shakes her head, “No, just my leg"

Izzy holds her right thigh, rubbing it better but looks at a worried Simon and smiles, “Stop fretting and don’t think this gets you out of anything, the second it’s stopped cramping you are going back in balls deep mister!”

Simon grins which in turn puts Izzy at ease as she smiles back at that beautiful geeky man.

**\--- Scene 7---**

Magnus opens the doors to his apartment to find everyone quickly shuffling to sit neatly in the living room.

Suspicious of the four of them he looks them all over.

“Did you get the wards up ok?” Jace asks casually.

“...yes" Magnus’s eyes squirts as he inspects them all. “No one can portal in or out for the time being"

Magnus’s head turns and he sniffs the air, “Why does this apartment smell of cookies?”

He heads to the kitchen and looks over the dozen or so plates piled high with cookies, “I see" Magnus rolls his eyes.

“Got a bit restless biscuit?”

“Well I just didn’t know what to do and I thought you and Alec might like some cookies" Clary knows full well there are more than enough cookies to put Magnus and Alec into a sugar induced coma.

Magnus notices his bedroom door is not fully shut; he glides towards the door and opens it to find the bedding removed from the bed.

Without saying a word he turns around and gives a menacing look to Simon and Izzy.

How does he know it was us? Izzy thinks.

“Oh yea, ummm... Chairman Meow took one of the cookies and ran into your room and there were crumbs everywhere so we ummm washed the bedding.” Simon blabbered.

Jace rolls his eyes at how much Simon’s lie sucks.

“The mattress is wet, Simon Lewis" Magnus said in a pointed tone.

“ummm... yeah, so umm Chairman Meow was then sick... from the cookie... and so the sheets and mattress got a bit... umm soaked"

Magnus closes his eyes as if he is counting to ten in his head.

Magnus flicks his wrist to clean up the damp mattress. He takes a deep breath and let’s out one long huff in dramatic fashion.

“I am aware that you are cooped up and unable to use your own apartments. But next time, children, it would be best if you could fuck in the shower or at least on the balcony where your bodily fluids can be hosed the fuck down"

Magnus roles his eyes and walks off to his study.

“I think that went very well" Simon says optimistically, much to the annoyance of everyone else in the room

**\--- Scene 8---**

“Why is he here, he’s not the Consul yet" one of the delegates complains

“He is the consul-elect and as Dearborn is calling for his resignation I think it’s obvious why he is here Arnold" Elena retorts

There are about 80 of the council members in attendance at the emergency meeting, the ones missing are Dearborn and his closest supporters on the council. Alec isn’t surprised; they are probably with him in the accords hall.

The council sit uncomfortably in the dinning hall of the civil service office building, it’s near to the accords halls and used for staff that run everything from the city’s water supply to maintenance of the demon towers.

“Dearborn and his Ilk are traitors of the Clave, why are we humouring them?” another delegate asks.

“Because right now, he has over 5000 supporters with him and if it wasn’t for the wards he could have another 5000 more. Do you plan on executing or imprisoning 5-10,000 of our own people?” Alec steps forward.

“Our numbers have been low for many centuries and the recent wars have not helped. We can’t afford to lose 10% of our forces or lose more trying to imprison that 10%" Lydia adds

The frustration in the room is palatable, and the sighs audibly loud.

“We don't make deals with traitors and terrorists. Today it’s Alec’s resignation, tomorrow dictatorship" one member calls out

Alec sighs, “We are going to have to convince them. Is that, or this may turn into a civil war"

“It’s a civil war they can’t win. Horace must know that.” Another voice calls out.

“Don’t be too sure delegate, a small force with gorilla warfare tactics can succeed against a larger force. What do we do when anyone could be secretly working against us, sabotaging us from the inside? It’s why Valentine's Circle was able to do so much damage. A civil war might not end up being played put on the battlefield" Elena rubs her forehead.

**\---Scene 9---**

“Good to see you and Jace seeming a bit more normal again" Izzy smiles as the two girls share a coffee on the balcony.

“I guess I just needed some time to process what happened in the other dimensions" Clary sips her coffee which is now a bit Luke warm, “I was the queen of hell, it’s terrifying to think that I am capable of that, under any circumstance”

“It wasn’t you Clary”

“No but it was. And then I tricked Jonathan. You should have seen him Iz, he was so...vulnerable. And I used him and abandoned him. God knows what the queen will do to him. I didn’t save him, _again_”

“I’m so sorry you had to go through that Clary” Izzy embraces the red head.

“I guess I was harsh on Jace" Clary sighs

“yea but… that’s not the only thing Clary, there’s been this distance I’ve seen you keep with him, I don’t know why but you’re going to have to deal with it"

“I’m...” Clary stutters

“Shs Clary, you don’t have to tell me until you’re ready to. But when you are ready, I’ll be here"

Clary sighs, Izzy is right, Clary has been keeping Jace at distance a bit.

“Also the idea of Simon fucking Jace kind of threw me" Clary tries to turn the situation light hearted.

“Sorry WHAT?” Izzy’s eyes widen

“In one of the other dimensions, where they were married and...” Clary pauses and can’t look Izzy in the eye, “He... He didn’t tell you"

Fuck, though Clary, she has landed Simon in some sort of trouble, she can almost sense the rage radiating off of Izzy.

Izzy rises from her chair, “excuse me Clary"

Jace comes out onto the balcony just as Izzy brushes past him with enough force to knock Jace.

As she heads back into the loft Jace looks at Clary, “What’s with her?”

“Best not to ask" Clary feels so stupid for causing a problem; it didn’t cross her mind that Simon wouldn’t have filled her in.

“How long is this going to take, they’ve been negotiating for 10 hours" Clary complains. She is fed up of staying put, even if the all clear was given everyone thinks she has no memories and is studying art in New York.

“I don’t know, it takes as long as it takes I guess. The Yerevan hostage crisis went on for 15 days. Better that they are talking than fighting.” Jace shrugs as he pulls the chair closer to Clary and sits down.

“If I have to stay here 15 fucking days!” Clary fumes, not quite sure why she feels this irritable and annoyed all of a sudden.

**\---Scene 10---**

A vampire pacing the room was quite a sight to see, with blurry speed Simon moved across the whole living area. Magnus was in his bedroom, and Clary and Jace in the spare room watching TV having gotten fed up with Simon’s pacing.

Izzy had stormed out earlier but Simon didn’t know why, she just left, in the middle of a crisis. Simon was so worried; she shouldn’t be out and about at the moment.

Izzy opens the door and slowly draws it close as in case people were alseep.

As she spins round she sees Simon with his arms crossed, he was pulling a face. It wasn’t anger or frustration, Izzy recognised it instantly as deep concern.

“I was so worried about you, where were you?”

“At a bar" Izzy admits, looking sheepish.

“A bar? There’s a curfew in effect Iz, what if Dearborn’s goons had gone a rampage"

“Simon” Izzy pauses, it’s hard not to be harsh with Simon, and he was such a puppy dog at times, “I just needed to work some stuff out"

Simon unfolds his arms but he doesn’t quite know what to do with them in this moment so they awkwardly sway and move along his sides. She seemed so serious Simon thought.

“We need to talk about Jace"

“Oh?” Simon’s eyes darted about the room in confusion, he wasn’t expecting that.

“Let’s talk outside" Izzy points towards the stairs that lead to the roof terrace and Simon follows.

It was already dark again, it was almost beautiful with the stars out had it not been for the bright lights illuminating the accords hall in the distance.

“What’s going on Iz?"

“Why didn’t you tell me about the other universe?”

There had been a few but Simon immediately knew which one Izzy was referring to and why.

“Oh” Simon rolls his eyes, of course this was the issue. “Where me and Jace were married?”

Simon sits down on the chair and huffs, “I don’t know, I didn’t think it was important and it was super weird"

“Do you... are you in love with Jace?” Izzy closes her eyes in fear of the answer.

“What?” Simon groans, “Not this again Iz"

“Simon I need to say something’s and I need you to listen and not talk ok?”

Simon gestures _go on _with his hand but his face is already so done with this. Was this going to be the bisexual discussion all over again?

“It took me a while to connect the dots but it all makes sense.” Clary sits by Simon’s side and holds his hands.

“There’s always been something between you, a tension, a...”

“For the love of god please don’t say bond" Simon rolls his eyes.

“...connection" Izzy sighs

“And then you bit him"

Simon jumps up and gets defensive in his demeanour. He was about to say something but Izzy places a finger to his lips.

“I know what a bite does Simon. It messes up feelings, it messes up relationships to the point that you can’t work out what is friendship, pity, love, lust, blood or compassion, it all just blends together”

Simon reaches out for Izzy’s hand and squeezes it in reassurance

“I think it messed _your_ feelings up. You never dealt with it or confronted it, you just buried it. Because you were with Clary and then Jace was with Clary" Izzy paces, scared of what she is saying.

“I don’t think you gave yourself an opportunity to explore what you were feeling. There’s no closure there Simon.”

“You think I fancy your brother?” Simon cringes

“Maybe, maybe you don’t, but I don’t think you've untangled all of that. I think you need to talk to Jace”

“Izzy...” Simon sighs

“I’m not finished yet" it wasn’t snappy but Izzy was firm in saying that that it made Simon sit back down and pay attention.

Izzy bends down to meet Simon at his level.

“The problem is...” Izzy sighs, “There was always this part of you that I could just sense was unsure. And I thought wrongly that maybe it was because I can’t give you what guys can give you. So I thought giving you a pass to sleep with other guys would solve it. I was wrong though, it wasn’t that you had a subconscious desire for men, it was very specifically Jace"

Simon scratches his head. “Ok, assuming your right, which I’m not saying you are, what happens to us Iz? I love you! I need you to believe me, I love you"

A tear drips down Izzy’s face, “I love you too. And I _know_ you love me too. But you need to deal with this otherwise there is a part of you creating this uncertainty in our relationship and that’s not fair.”

“And if I confront this, then what?”

“Then you get closure. And if it’s... something else, well I honestly don’t know, I guess we have to come to that bridge if we get to it"

**\---Scene 11---**

“Alexander Lightwood, I was starting to think you would only send Lackies"

Horace at the entrance chambers of the accords hall, Alec with Elena and Horace with a young man with light brown hair that Alec recognised as Manuel Villalobos. It was a bit of a surprise, nothing about Manuel had suggested he was a follower of Horace but Alec had always thought of him as power hungry, cruel and manipulative- he would have only joined Horace if he thought he could move up the ranks.

“So what’s the endgame here Horace" Alec asks, studying the two men in front of him.

Horace was looking somewhat tired, his blond hair a little dishevelled.

“I thought our demands were quite simple; there was no way you could have won fairly. You will publically resign and I will grant exile instead of execution"

“Execution?” Elena huffs, “He is the elected Consul, and our people have spoken"

“We refuse to recognize Alec Lightwood as Consul! We stand for our old traditions, for the way things always have been and always should be!” Manuel spits

“So I’m exiled and then what Horace? Do you become Consul? Will people accept you as Consul after loosing this election? Is there a new election? If you win, what is to stop the next person from doing exactly what you’re doing?” Alec asks with a raised brow.

**\--- Scene 12---**

Simon had spent 2 hours now on the roof terrace, going round in circles in his head.

“You wanted to speak to me"

Simon turns around and sees Jace there looking perplexed

“What? No" Simon is just as confused.

“Oh? Izzy said... never mind my mistake I guess?” Jace goes to the door and pulls on it but it won’t open. “Huh" he pulls out a stele and uses the unlock rune. He tuts, of course Magnus would have secured his home so that something as simple as the unlock rune wouldn’t work on it. Banging on the door he calls out “Izzy?”

“For fucks sake Iz" Simon mutters under his breath.

“Ok what's going on?” Jace looks to Simon for answers.

“Just Izzy being Izzy" Simon cringes at the situation, “She thinks we should talk and we don’t need to, so don’t sweat it. She’ll let us soon enough" Simon walks to the door and shouts through it “when she realises there is nothing to talk about"

Simon huffs and throws himself on the chair.

“I mean, Izzy wouldn’t lock us up on a roof to talk if she didn’t think there was something important” Jace looks concerned, “Did I... do something? Say something?”

Simon just wants to stroke Jace’s hair in this moment and reassure him, “No, no. It’s a me thing. It’s not you"

Jace sits next to Simon which makes Simon jump again, “Ok something is definitely going on here Simon"

“Izzy and Magnus seem to think I have feelings for you, which is absurd" Simon tuts.

“Since when?” Jace rolls his eyes; Simon wouldn’t have _those_ feelings for him.

“Izzy reckons since Valentine’s massacre at the institute” Simon shrugs, trying to hide his embarrassment.

“Oh?” Jace seems confused for a moment before his eyes widen like he had just discovered or invented something, “OH!”

“No, there’s no _oh_ here because I don’t think of you that way" Simon gets defensive.

“But you’re not 100% sure are you" Jace shakes his head.

“I’m practically sure I don’t fancy you Jace" Simon huffs.

“I know you Si, for someone like you the margin between practically and for sure must be as wide as the Grand Canyon” Jace puts on his most sympathetic face “Is this what’s been bothering you recently?”

Simon can’t look him in the eye.

Jace places his hand on his chin and pulls his head to face him. Simon feels so guilty, looking into those beautiful mismatched eyes.

Jace presses his lips against Simon’s much to Simon’s surprise. Jace’s tongue pushes past the lips and massages Simon’s tongue.

Simon opens his eyes, this isn’t quite comfortable, so he tries grabbing the nape of Jace’s neck, this is a passionate kiss but it doesn’t feel like it. Simon tries rubbing Jace’s chest. Jace smirks and quickly removes his top, his toned body on display as Simon runs his hands over it, but it just feels off somehow.

Simon pulls back, away from Jace’s lips with an awkward “hmm"

“Disappointed?” Jace smiles

Simon just looks confused his forehead crinkly, he was disappointed, and he was disappointed that he was disappointed. This was Jace, hot as fuck Jace, kissing him. And it was an amazing kiss, or at least it was technically. “What’s wrong with me?"

“Where do I start" Jace teases, “Sorry I thought that would be the quickest way for you to be sure??”

“It didn’t feel right, why didn’t it feel...right?”

“Because you’re not in love with me Simon, you don’t even fancy me. I know because I had the exact same situation happen to me" Jace embraces Simon, Simon doesn’t flinch anymore from Jace's touch, it was friendly, it was nice but nothing more. Jace had seen Simon grow into a close friend, after Alec he was probably his best guy friend, maybe that’s why it had taken time for the situation to develop for Simon the way it had.

“You went through this?”

“After you bit me yeah" Jace admits, “I wanted to tell Clary I was still in love with her but she was with you, and I was having these desires for you too it was all very confusing at the time"

“So how did you figure it out?” Simon asks genuinely curious.

“It’s a bit embarrassing” Jace blushes.

“You just had your tongue down my throat dude"

Jace chuckles, “True, ok don’t judge. But for a week after I just kept... by the Angel where do I start. I couldn’t shake this image from my mind. I was imagining you fucking me”

“Wha...what" Simon splutters in disbelief.

“Don’t get big headed Lewis. So I had this picture in my head for a week straight, you were fucking me, your hands all over me, then just as you...” Jace blushes intensely, “...arrived, you sank your teeth into my neck and drank and it was the hottest single thing I could think of"

“I had no idea"

“Then one night, I tried picturing it again and focused really hard, what would it be like, that scene but without you biting me. And… nada”

“Nada?” Simon asks.

“It wasn’t hot at all; it was weird, uncomfortable, like imagining having sex with a cousin or something.”

“Thanks" Simon rolled his eyes.

“It wasn’t you I was craving, it was your bite. Sure it was one bite and it wasn’t like I got addicted like Izzy but that bite, it still makes you want it more. Vampire venom messes with you Si, and angel blood can have a similar affect on vampires. I didn’t realise it had had _that_ effect on you though"

“I didn’t really think about it, I knew I felt happier with you about but I just brushed it off that I was just getting more comfortable with the shadow world, and the last year we’ve gotten so close I guess I was not keeping it pushed down subconsciously like I had before”

Jace smiles warmly, “Simon, I’m sorry it didn’t cross my mind that you would be feeling mixed up, angel blood like vampire venom has different affects on different people"

Simon sighs, “I didn’t even realise it was having such an effect on me that Izzy was picking up that something wasn’t quite right.”

Jace hugs Simon, “It makes sense I guess, we have grown close and I’m really happy about that, you helped me find my inner geek, and my tastes in music has benefited from having you as a friend"

“Umm Jace, I’m glad we're friends and all but I’d really like it if you could put your top back on because this is...odd"

Jace chuckles, “Such a dope Lewis”

**\--- Scene 13---**

“I had almost forgotten the pleasures of penetrating a woman" Asmodeus smirks crookedly. Jia winces and cries out as the blade twists in her shoulder blade, “much like my son" he chuckles.

Asmodeus feels the disturbance in the air and rolls his eyes, retracting the blade he holds out his hand and sparks of red energy heal the wound so that he could repeat the cycle of torture later.

“What do you want Nephilim?” Asmodeus sighs

“Your son and his fellow warlocks have erected a barrier that prevents portals to Idris, I want it down" Horace’s shadowy form appears, flickering like candle light.

“I thought I made myself clear, I deposed one consul, it’s not my concern that you lost your election” Asmodeus sneers, “Nephilim, pft, my kind rules through shear strength, non of this voting crap"

“Your master wants my kind out of the way and in exchange Idris is left alone. That will never happen if Alec is allowed to stay in charge. And where Alec goes your son follows. I’m not a fool Asmodeus, I know why you made the deal you made"

Asmodeus anger flashes across his face, “Don’t think you are smart enough to play me boy, I am 10,000 years older than you”

“I am not. But you know that if Magnus joins Alec on the battle field against you, your master may force your hand. If Alec is disposed they will not fight a war unless there is hope they can win, they will retreat, hide, giving you an opportunity to get your son back" Horace’s apparition flickers.

“So be it, I will remove the wards. But do not come seeking a favour again" and with that Asmodeus pulls off the Seelie communication ring and throws it to the floor.

**\---Scene 14---**

“Magnus, the wards" Clary calls out from the living room balcony.

Magnus runs towards the windows and sees the wards glimmer and fail.

“Shit”

**\---Scene 15---**

“This is the only way" Alec reassures Lydia.

The council members follow them into the square, Alec and the council reached an agreement after a tense session. Dearborn seemed to become more unhinged with every passing hour and his demands had started to escalate. He had sent a fire message to the council threatening mass suicide if they didn’t leave Idris.

Entering the square it was now packed as shadowhunters across the world had portalled in. There are so many that not only was angel square full but the roofs of all the buildings were covered in shadowhunters trying to have sight of the unfolding situation- a situation that had never happened before.

In the square thousands had joined Dearborn’s side whilst tens of thousands shouted and called for them to accept the results, to accept that Alec had won and was Consul by the people’s demands. On news that Dearborn’s supporters had portalled in to support him the majority of shadowhunters across the globe had likewise joined their comrades in a show of strength and support for Alec.

Dearborn in his increasingly unstable state was demanding that Alec’s supporters leave the city now, not just Alec. He still operated under the presumption that most shadowhunters would choose him over exile from their homeland. 

On the balcony Dearborn addresses the crowds as he sees Alec and the Council move forward through the square.

“Alexander Lightwood, the man who would drag us to ruin. Who consorts with Downworlders, who makes a mockery of our traditions, this is what you have brought us to"

Alec’s eyes glean with Anger, “No Horace, you have brought us to the brink, like a petulant child who hasn’t gotten his way"

Dearborn flinches at the description, “The angels abandoned us because we have abandoned the old ways. We must unify, here, in the land that the angels gifted us, we must rebuild our numbers, and we must ask for forgiveness for the errors of our leaders. It is what the Angels would have wanted, for us to return to the homeland and rebuild in their name"

“Our divine purpose is to fight demons, not cower behind our walls.” Alec glared him down.

“Do not speak to us about the divine, you are a traitor to your own kind, lying with a Warlock, corrupting the natural order of things, we would rather die that be ruled by you" Dearborn shouts.

He nods to someone behind him, a woman, who then steps onto the banister of the balcony with a dagger in her hand raised above her head.

With one fell swoop the woman plunged the dagger into her stomach to the gasps and cries of the many people below. Her lifeless body tumbling over the banister and onto angel square below.

Above the noise an unholy screech can be heard from a woman, “Amelia".

Alec had never heard a scream like it.

Elena sighed, “Amelia Overbeck, by the angel, her mother" she cried looking at the woman huddling over the body.

Lydia shook her head in anger, “That bastard is serious; they are actually going to do it"

“No they are not" Alec looks back at Lydia and sends a message on his phone.

“Now you know the strength of our resolve Alexander, leave or the blood of thousands will be on your hands.” Dearborn calls out.

“You speak about the will of the Angels? Maybe you will listen to the only shadow hunter to ever see not one but two angels" Alec calls out.

At the centre of the square a portal appears and Clary steps out to the shock and surprise of thousands.

Alec begs inside his head, _please let this work_, as Alec’s and the council’s plan unfolds.

“Hear me Idris” Clary’s voice booms across the whole city; thanks to a new rune everyone could hear her voice as if she was only a few feet behind.

“I have been bestowed the memories of the angel Ithuriel. Horace does not act on the will of the Angels. He acts in his own selfish interests. You want to know why our connection is weakened with the Angels?"

Clary uses a rune and projects a bright vision into the air which is massive enough that everyone could see and hear it; a memory.

_“Why, why hide runes from us, why prevent us from activating the runes and make us reliant on the steles” Clary demands to know. _

_“Would you let a small child pick up the kitchen knife? Or cross a road by themselves” Ithuriel sighs, “we have lived since before the earth had form, before dust became light, to us, you are so very very young. And you are precious” _

_“there is not enough time to get you even a fraction of my memories, I just have to hope I’ve given you enough for what is coming”. Clary hugs Ithuriel and holds him tight, she feels he will slip away soon._

_“Why gift me this, this knowledge Ithuriel?” Clary’s face buried in the angels shoulder but still he hears her perfectly. _

_“We don’t have the luxury of coddling the young anymore”, Ithuriel’s chin rests on Clarys head. “And I don’t know how long they can continue to exert influence over this realm and the Nephilim” _

_Clary looks up, puzzled. Ithuriel tilts down and replies “Clary, the Angels battle evil, as the Nephilim do, just on higher planes of existence”, Ithuriel tone turns flat, and he starkly warns “but we are losing this war”._

A stunned silence washes over the crowds, which Dearborn interrupts, “No.., it’s a lie. The Angels are powerful, they are not loosing anything, and they have chosen to cut us off because of their filth and association with demon blooded mongrels”

He overlooks the crowds as many move towards Alec and Clary. Looking back he sees many people in the hall leave but equally many stay and all nod in agreement and step forward onto the balcony.

“No" shouts Dearborn, “We will not be tricked, leave or thousands die"

Alec looks up to see a thousand or two shadowhunters on the massive balcony, lifting daggers and swords into the air, ready to commit mass suicide.

He had hope they would all see reason but he and the council had already planned for this eventuality.

“Very well Horace. Outside the wards of Idris we will fight on to protect the world. In here, you will rot as you play at being soldiers with nothing to fight but each other.”

Alec nods towards Clary and holds her hand. Both Clary and Alec’s eyes light up golden and hundreds of portals appear, including a massive portal at the opposite end of Angel Square to the Accords hall, massive in circumference it had to be 70 feet wide. It was the biggest portal anyone had ever seen.

Alec uses his rune to address the masses, “Today you are faced with a difficult choice, one I am sorry you must face. I will not see our kind shed blood amongst ourselves. Join the Clave, join us and fight back to save our world from the demons or stay here under his rule; imprisoned by those too fearful to stand for what is right”

The whispers and chatters of the crowd grew bold. Talk of Alec being right, that Clary was chosen, that there was a battle to fight and it wasn’t here, that they would not rot in Idris under a desperate dictator like Horace. People shook their heads in disgust at Dearborn, and turned their backs on him.

“No” Dearborn said to himself, shocked to see the level of rejection, he honestly thought Alec had cheated, surly not this number of people could support a radical. But rather than beg them stay, or give in to the fact that clearly he had lost, Dearborn dug his heels further, “Traitors, you’re all traitors" he screams from the balcony as tens of thousands of shadowhunters confidently walked through the portals.

**\--- Scene 16---**

Magnus hands Alec a plate with a few sandwiches on them. Alec smiles but shakes his head.

“You need to eat husband" Magnus demands.

Alec was still on edge, he hopes he did the right thing, but it wasn’t easy to abandon his homeland, even though he knows thousands of lives were spared as a result.

“Your people?” Alec squeezes his hand softly.

“Evacuated just as the council had asked. And the loft is back in New York, for now but we can move it anywhere you want babe. There’s an Institute near Machu Pecchu right?”

Alec smiled, he stops squeezing Magnus’s hand and pulls it up to his lips and places a kiss on it as a single tear falls down his cheek. It had been a difficult day, and a difficult start to his leadership.

“Alec" Elena called out; she had really taken on a role as unofficially leader of the council.

“Elena, tell my husband to eat" Magnus interjects.

“You have barely eaten Alec" Elena agrees.

Alec takes a big bite of the sandwich and with a mouth full looks at Magnus and says to him “happy?” sarcastically.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full" Magnus teases.

Elena joins in on the teasing, “Does he do that often?”

“Mostly in the bedro....ouch" Magnus feigns being hurt as Alec whacks his stomach.

Alec swallows the bite and continues the conversation in the direction of important matters, “How are we doing with relocation"

“We are doubling up most bedrooms, turning the larger rooms into family bedrooms where possible. But we are still falling short, we house just under 40,000 shadowhunters across the institutes, we have 54,000 refuges to house, the institutes weren’t designed to hold our entire population" Elena sighs.

“So how many stayed with Dearborn?” Magnus asks

“About 6,000 in the end” Alec sighs.

“If it hadn’t been for Clary it would have been about 15,000 Alec" Elena reminds him.

“Prisoners?” Alec asks

“Sumqayit was completely abandoned by Horace’s supporters so the Guard relocated the prisoners to there for the time being. It’s a tight squeeze” Elena shrugs

“Nichita will be thrilled" Alec rolls his eyes.

“I’ve got something to show you back in New York" Elena smiled puzzling Alec and Magnus.

Alec looks at Elena with a hint of scepticism, “But I was just getting so used to Detroit"

Clary and Jace walk up to join the group.

“Clary, how are you?” Elena smiles

“I’m good, except the constant stares when I walk anywhere” Clary cringes

“To be expected somewhat, that was quite the performance you gave at Angel Square"

“Sure, although I’m still kind of surprised the Council agreed to it"

Elena chuckled, “Well you and Alec were quite convincing. I don’t think they are all over the shock of your return truth be told"

“Elena has something to show us in New York" Alec interrupts.

Elena gets out her stele, “Ok show me again"

Alec stands up, and holds Elena's hand and traces the portal rune, “just focus on the rune, you’ll get it"

“When do I get to do this without a stele?"

Clary chuckles as Elena, who usually is so composed but now seems giddy like a school child.

“Mind if I tag along" Alec turns round to see Lydia

“Not at all Madam Inquisitor"

The portal appears and Elena grins. These where terrifying and challenging times but there was still something quite magical about her discovering the new abilities that the others had known about for months.

They step through the portal and arrive at a modern looking high rise, maybe 40 stories high.

In the lobby they enter an elevator, and look confused when Elena draws the angelic symbol on the elevator console and a button appears which she presses.

When the doors open Alec sees they are quite high up, maybe the 37th floor, he overlooks a 5 story atrium, builders everywhere doing finishing touches.

“Seems Jia was always a few steps ahead of us. I give you the new New York Institute.”

Lydia, Magnus, Jace, Clary and Alec are all speechless.

“This was to be the first of many, the whole building is ours, and this is the ops centre. It was supposed to be a mega Institute that could pool the resources of nearby institutes into one larger operation but I think it would work well as a new base of operations for the Clave-in-exile” Elena smiles as everyone else looks dumbstruck.

“The Clave-in-exile?” Jace rolls his eyes.

“Well it’s what people are calling us" Elena shrugs

“Biscuit?” Magnus turns to see Clary in discomfort holding her side.

“Clary?” Jace adds to the concern.

Clary cries out in pain and falls to the floor.

“CLARY!” Jace drops to the floor and holds her as she looses consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always please let me know what you think by leaving comments. 
> 
> With the Jimon plot, I didn't want it hanging too much so resolved it this chapter but this was one of two directions that I really liked the idea of a few chapters ago so I hope you enjoyed that resolution.


	15. Parabatais', Fathers and Telephones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We are approaching the endgame now!  
The mystery of what has been happening is starting to be revealed.   
Magnus confronts his father.   
Clary and Izzy find themselves in an unexpected situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to soracia for being my beta on this chapter. 
> 
> I know it has been a while since I last updated. This chapter took a while to write as I am moving forward to the end of the fic and needed to plot the remaining chapters (it will be another 3-5 chapters I think after this one) to make sure all the pieces fitted. 
> 
> Then Christmas and family etc happened so it has taken longer than I wanted. 
> 
> I hope you all had a great new year and enjoy.

**\---Scene 1---**

The group hurried to the infirmary of the Detroit institute after Alec portalled them back.

“Why isn't the Iratzi rune working" Jace cries as he keeps trying to activate her rune with a stele. Clary was unconscious so wouldn’t be able to activate it herself with her new abilities. Jace continues to try activating the rune while running with her in his arms.

Alec opens the each set of doors ahead of them with a blue flicker of the wrist as they head towards the infirmary at speed.

“Help" Jace calls out as he runs over to place Clary on an empty bed; the infirmary seems busy today as several medics are hovered around another bed at the other end of the ward; half the privacy curtains closed.

Several medics run over to Clary.

“Jace?” a familiar voice calls out turning everyone’s head to the other side of the ward where they see Simon, tears on his face, “It's Izzy"

Jace looks dumbstruck, “Izzy? Clary!”

“We need you to give us space to work” one of the medics says curtly, Jace can’t answer verbally and awkwardly nods, having to be walked away by Alec.

“Simon it’s Clary not Izzy" Alec says addressing Simon, had he assumed the worst?

“No it’s Izzy, she just, collapsed" Simon stammered pointing at the bed at the end of the ward, “Wait Clary’s injured too?"

Alec runs to the other end of the ward and sees an unconscious Izzy on the bed, surrounded by medical staff, “What’s happened?”

“We don't know yet, she’s stable at the moment but it is touch and go so we need you to let us work ok” the medic looks Alec up and down, “apologises Consul I didn’t...”

Alec waves his hand, no stop that, he thought, right now he is a brother not the Consul.

“Magnus where are they?”

Alec, Jace and Simon spin to the main door to the ward to see Catarina.

Alec gives a silent look to Magnus; of course he would call on Catarina.

She runs over to Clary who is nearest.

“We've got the best medical staff here" Elena says pointedly to Catarina who she has never met before.

“And now you have the best warlock healer, move" Catarina’s bluntness surprises and impresses Elena.

Lydia looks around the room unsure what to do and can only cover her mouth with her hand in concern.

Jace can’t quiet hear the talk between Catarina and the medical staff but he can tell there was some awkward resistance for a moment before they let her help.

“She’s stabilised for now"

Simon and Alec both simply point at the other end “Izzy", leading Catarina to run over to help there too.

Magnus grabs Alec from behind and hugs him and reassures him. Simon’s legs give as the emotion of the situation overwhelms him and Jace grabs him, his own face full of tears, “They are going to be ok, ok Si? They have to be"

Catarina calls over to Magnus who runs over to help, although he can’t see what he could do that Catarina couldn’t do better.

“They both seem to be affected by the same magic or power and it’s definitely angelic in origin” Catarina is speaking to Magnus but loud enough that everyone can hear them.

“I’ve felt this kind of power before" Magnus ponders, trying to recall where before his eyes widen.

Throwing out his hand he opens a portal next to Izzy’s bed and next to Clary’s. “Everyone step back"

The medical staff all look confused, “do as he says, now" Alec orders.

Any movement could destabilise Izzy or Clary but a portal would reduce that movement to next to nothing.

The second Izzy’s bed is magically pushed through the portal by Magnus it appears next to Clary’s. A wave of heat and force knocks everyone onto their backs and when they sit up there is a ring of blue fire around Izzy and Clary.

The heat is intense and Alec shields his eyes when he gets near to the flame.

Through the crackling on the flames and the sounds of scurrying people behind him he nearly misses the fact that Izzy and Clary are both speaking, quietly and softly, as if they were talking in their sleep.

“Quiet" Alec orders those behind them. Jace moves towards them shocked as he starts to hear the words they are muttering.

_For whither thou goest, I will go, And where thou lodgest, I will lodge. _

_Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. _

_Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried. _

_The Angel do so to me, And more also, If aught but death part thee and me._

The fire disappears into the air, like water evaporating. Clary and Izzy start to regain consciousness.

Groggily Clary asks “What happened” as the boys rush over to both of them and hug both Clary and Izzy with enough force to take them both off guard.

“Simon?” Izzy calls out. Simon places his hands on Izzy’s head, kissing her all over with tears in his eyes, “You gotta stop doing this; this nearly dying in fire is funny once at most!"

“What was that?” Jace asks, the medical staff looking stunned.

“Clary, have you been feeling any pain lately?” Catarina asks.

Clary points to her side and Magnus lifts her top slightly to reveal a newly etched Parabatai rune.

“Izzy, your thigh, it’s been hurt recently” Simon reminds her, she lifts her skirt up slightly, aware of all the people present she pulls a face and makes sure she only lifts enough to see a Parabatai rune.

“How is this possible?” Alec asks, “This makes no sense"

“Yeah it does" Simon rolls his eyes, to the bewilderment of the others, “Think about it, you’ve recently started to draw runes without the use of a stele"

“You’re saying I drew this? I think I would know" Izzy smiles

“Not consciously but subconsciously you two have considered yourselves unofficial Parabatai for ages now" Magnus interjects.

“We subconsciously drew Parabatai runes?” Clary asks stunned.

“They are above the allowed age" Lydia worries; there was good reason for that limit, to prevent the risk of overloading the bond.

Magnus hovers his hands over both Clary and Izzy as blue mist engulfs their newly acquired runes, “I’m not picking up any instability"

Izzy smiles at Clary and a tear of joy falls, “Parabatai”

“I think we should give them some time alone, is there a room they can have some privacy?” Catarina asks.

**\---Scene 2---**

“I’m so wired" Clary grins grabbing the glass of water. They were in the bedroom Clary and Jace had been allocated.

“I know I feel like I could take on Asmodeus single handed. Oh we need food, I’ll go make us something" Izzy freezes for a moment and turns back to look at Clary with a laugh, “Wow, I knew my cooking was bad but does it really illicit that kind of fear in people?”

Clary bursts out laughing, “You can feel that through the bond?”

“Yes, you bitch" Izzy mocks throwing a cushion at Clary.

“I get it now too, the distance, the front you’ve been putting up? I had no idea you were feeling this way" Izzy maintains her smile but the mood turns serious.

“I just feel like, what’s me anymore, I have his blood, his abilities, his memories, it feels like I’m being taken over by Ithuriel. I don’t mean to be ungrateful, I just worry- what’s left that's me, you know?”

Izzy pulls Clary close to her, “I feel you Clary, I feel your soul, you are brilliantly you, you’re not Ithuriel, and you’re not becoming Ithuriel”

“How do you know it’s my soul and not Ithuriel’s” Clary asks

“Because I know. Also if it was Ithuriel I was feeling then he is hella gay towards Jace. Like holy fuck is he into Jace"

Clary bursts out laughing, “Thanks Parabatai”

“For what?”

“Telling me exactly what I needed to hear" Clary sighs a breath of relief, she is not loosing herself in Ithuriel, she is not going to, and her biggest fear that in loosing herself she would lose her love for Jace was unfounded. She had kept this fear from him.

“You gonna tell him?” Izzy leans her head against her new Parabatai, to which Clary nods.

**\---Scene 3---**

“That’s quite the drink" Magnus pulls back slightly from the drink Alec just made, it's delicious but also incredibly strong.

“It's been quite the day" Alec smiles, exhausted but thankful their apartment is now free of guests.

Magnus sits, legs crossed on the sofa, Alec sits next to him, leaning back against Magnus, taking a swig of the concoction.

“You know I can feel you through our wedded union rune right" Magnus asks pointedly.

“Magnus" Alec begs, holding back.

“Alexander it’s ok. It’s ok!” Magnus reassures him, giving permission.

Alec let’s out a short sharp cry, as he finally breaks. Once the flood gates open Alec can’t stop, tears streaming down his face, his chest convulsing as he lets out guttural cries out of his control; like the crying equivalent if hiccups.

Magnus takes the drinks out of their hands and sets them down on the table quickly before wrapping his arms around Alec. He brings his head to the top of Alec’s, planting a soft kiss on his forehead.

There had been so much going these past months, but the last week especially was exhausting and emotional and Alec has had to lead, stay strong and composed when he wanted to fall apart at times.

“Its ok pup, let it out" Magnus continues to kiss him.

Alec lets out laughter between the cries, “You’re never letting pup go are you?" Alec jokes about the nickname.

“Nope" Magnus smiles.

“I hate you" Alec teases, still blubbering.

“No you don’t" Magnus smiles, placing his hand on Alec’s chest, over their wedding union rune before bringing his head closer down to kiss Alec gently on the cheek.

**\---Scene 4---**

“You did the ceremony without me?” Magnus frowns as he runs into the new council chamber in the New York Mega-Institute.

The large room had been intended to be a briefing room. It still looked half under construction, one wall still had exposed electrical and utility service pipes and wires, only half the light fixtures had been attached, and the room was crowded with an odd assortment of about 100 mismatched chairs in a semi circle.

“Given everything that’s been happening, I opted for the no frills event" Alec shrugged and hugged Magnus.

“So you’re sworn in to office? In this drab room? Oh dearest husband you know how I love to throw a party" Magnus teases as he plants a peck of a kiss on Alec’s cheek. Alec grins and blushes in front of the council.

“I’ve been reviewing the sensor data from Idris and the other Warlocks from the collapse of the wards" Magnus beams.

“You think you can stop our wards being breached?” Alec says hopeful.

“I’m working on it" Magnus grins

The door swings open as Izzy rushes in with Meliorn, Alec hadn’t seen him in months and certainly not since the New York Institute was destroyed.

Alec glanced at Izzy with piercing angry eyes, this was a new base of operations; they couldn’t just be bringing people here, especially given the political turmoil of the Seelies.

“Don’t give me that looks, I portalled him in, he doesn’t know where he is” Izzy nudges Meliorn, “Go on, tell them what you told me in your fire message"

Meliorn sighs, unsure why he really is aligning himself with the shadowhunters right now. He knows what has been going on despite them keeping him out of the loop. He had felt that during Izzy’s downworlder cabinet meetings.

“I know where your father is" Meliorn turns to Magnus.

Magnus shakes, unsure if he is ready for where this path inevitably leads; a confrontation with his father. He struggles to maintain his glamour ever so briefly and his cat eyes shine through. He looks down at the fingers now threaded in his, and up to his husband at his side. Alec knew that Magnus needed him the second the glamour faulted.

“If the next words you say are not _dead in a ditch_ I must warn you I will be disappointed" Magnus grits his teeth.

Meliorn offers the slightest of nods, “I’m afraid I must disappoint you then”

“We should continue this conversation in an interview room" Elena interjects, shifting her eyes back to the rest of the council present in the room.

Meliorn did present a security risk, albeit a small one given the number of people in the room. 

**\--- Scene 5---**

“Is this really necessary?” Meliorn rolled his eyes at the very mundane set up, a table, a hand full of chairs, an obvious 1 way window.

Lydia as Inquisitor took point, but the set up was unusual. Meliorn would only speak with Magnus and Izzy present and Alec in turn would only allow it if he was there next to his Husband and sister.

“It makes the council feel more comfortable” Alec shrugs. There was no benefit to the set up practically speaking, but the council were jumpy, especially given recent events.

“He is recruiting heavily, not just corrupting Mundanes into demons but wolf’s, Seelies, Vampires, a few warlocks too"

Alec can’t help but close his eyes and take a deep breath; this does not help his efforts to unite the shadow world and would only act to reaffirm Dearborn’s fanatics back in Idris.

“And how did you come by this information?” Lydia questions.

“A Seelie, an old acquaintance whose clan have joined Asmodeus. He wanted no part in it. I offered him protection in exchange for the information”

“Who is this acquaintance?”

“My promise of protection extends to protection from the clave" Meliorn didn’t dislike Lydia but didn’t care too much for her given she had sent Alec to take him to be tortured in the city of bones several years ago. Thank goodness Clary, Izzy and Jace had united the wolves and vampires into helping him.

“How many?” Alec asks curtly

“15 maybe 20,000 amongst a few locations world wide”

Magnus looks at Alec, a full on assault would be difficult with those numbers. Yes there was 90,000 shadowhunters on their side but only 40,000 were really trained warriors and an assault would result in heavy losses. There was no way to reach Asmodeus without it being incredibly costly.

Lydia becomes acutely aware that her gulp was audible enough for others to hear and regains her composure, “Please, carry on"

“Without Asmodeus leading them they will be disorganised and his support would likely fall apart. I need to protect more of my people from being seduced by him but I don’t have the means to stop him. You do however"

“Sure, we'll just take on a legion of demons and be back home for supper” Lydia crosses her arms, staring intensely.

Meliorn’s lips curl up slightly as he holds back a chuckle. “You have something he doesn’t want you to have, something that would lure him away from his forces"

Lydia raises her brows, silently questioning Meliorn’s claims.

“The codex" Meliorn smiles, revealing he does indeed know more than they would like him to.

**\---Scene 6---**

Everyone was in position. Alec paced the operations centre of the Belfast Institute nervous about the impending attack.

They had spent a week planning this operation out in minute detail but now that it was here he couldn’t help but feel nervous, after all the last time they set a trap for Asmodeus he had easily overpowered it once he knew what was happening.

Through the Seelies word had spread that the Codex was being kept in the secure Belfast Institute, a lie spread by the clave of course but the Seelies didn’t know that.

Alec prayed to the angels that they were right, that Asmodeus would come to retrieve the Codex covertly and alone. Asmodeus would surly believe a direct assault on an Institute would likely result in the clave portalling the Codex to a new location before it could be reached by Asmodeus.

Then came the blip in the wards, similar to what happened in New York, and the second it did Magnus raised the new enhanced wards.

They couldn’t portal in or out of the Institute but they could portal from one location inside to another location inside,

The location of the blip uploaded to the phones on all the shadowhunters present for the trap, where ever they were in the Institute they could be there in moments.

Alec’s eyes glowed golden as a portal appeared which he and Magnus quickly ran through.

On the other side two dozen shadowhunters had already arrived and were fighting Asmodeus with powerful hits of sunlight runes.

Asmodeus’s flesh burned and melted but his healing kept up with the pace and brunt of the assault. That is until Jace arrived, the soul sword in his hand.

_Please work_ Alec begged.

Jace raised the sword and the room vibrated, like a high pitched tone screeching through ones ear but piercing the brain and the soul instead.

Asmodeus collapses on the ground, screaming in agony. It brings the greater demon to his knees but it doesn’t kill him like they thought it would.

Alec’s eyes widen as looks at his husband; they failed. Asmodeus isn’t dead.

“You activated the soul sword?” Asmodeus grits through his teeth, the pain is excruciating and he teeth grinds so violently that his teeth start to shatter in his mouth, black Ichor leaking and foaming from his mouth.

The council had been reluctant to activate and use the soul sword in this fashion but they couldn’t sit back and allow an army to be amassed.

Magnus runs his right hand along his left arm momentarily, logically he knew, after his careful study that now he was bonded to Alec his immunity to the soul sword protected him from being fried like a Peking Duck.

As if there was not enough pain in his head, Asmodeus cries out when a voice booms, a voice that in close proximity to his father Magnus can also hear.

_“You have failed yet again to keep the codex from them, tricked once more by lower beings. Our patience has ended"_

A surge of power like red ribbons swirls around Asmodeus. The power temper the effects of the sword enough for Asmodeus to stand and knock everyone to the ground with a shockwaves of dark magic.

Magnus lifts his head to see Asmodeus smash the head of one of the shadowhunters against the wall with such force his skull collapses and flesh and blood splatter the wall. The crunch of the bone caving sent shivers down everyone’s spine.

Before he could reach another Magnus flung himself at his father with every once of Magic he had.

Asmodeus reaches out a hand to grab Magnus’s throat and a shadowhunter launches himself only to hit some kind of shield or ward that flings him across the room with such force the sound of the concrete wall cracking reverberates. There was no way he could have survived it.

Jace quickly holds back Alec and he tries to lunch forward screaming “No" Alec begs, “Please let him go, we’ll let you leave, just don’t harm him"

Amadeus’s grip shakes around Magnus’s neck but doesn’t tighten.

_“This is your punishment, kill him, do it now"_

Asmodeus struggles to form words, his mouth still bleeding black Ichor but his teeth already nearly regenerated. “No, we...had...a...deal"

Each syllable is exhausting for Asmodeus to get out. Magnus cat eyes revealed and searching his father’s face, as he senses the controlling force trying to overpower him.

_“You failed, now watch your son die at your own hands"_

“No. You betray me, you betray the only reason I agreed" Asmodeus screeches. His hand releases Magnus who drops to the floor. He takes a small step forward as if someone is controlling his body like a puppet but is met with such resistance by Asmodeus it struggles to move any further.

_“He is beyond saving, kill him or we will kill you both"_

“fuck you" Asmodeus screams back as he raises his fist in the air, swinging it down with such force that he smashes through his own rib cage.

Asmodeus drops to his knees. Magnus calls out to everyone “Stay back", Asmodeus has fooled them before after all, although this time he suspects not.

Magnus crouches down next to Asmodeus, his body trying to heal itself, but it is too much damage to repair, it will only delay the inevitable.

“What deal" Magnus asks, almost devoid of emotion.

“You" Asmodeus struggles to maintain eye contact as he bleeds out, “I thought I could save you, I thought I could get you to see the truth"

“Save me from what?”

“from yourself, from them, now that hope is lost. They will destroy you all" Asmodeus’s eyes flutter.

“Why?”

Asmodeus almost seems wounded, not from his injuries but from the question. “I raised you, and you turned to _their_ side, all I ever wanted was you at _my_ side, as you should be. My boy, I wished, just once, we were on the same side"

Magnus bit his tongue, he dared not show and emotion to his vile and evil father, a man he despised but felt this sick twisted love from him.

“We could still be on the same side, tell me what’s coming, tell me how to stop it. Just this once, just at the end, by on _my_ side" Magnus pleads.

Asmodeus twists his hand in his chest, seemingly grabbing something and pulling it out, chunks of lung and black Ichor saturate his hand as he places a small smooth rock the size of a thumb and places it in Magnus’s hand. He wraps his hand around Magnus’s and squeezes gently.

“Jia is alive, No. 531, Wanda Road, Wanhua District, Taipei” Asmodeus smirks, “I kept her separate to my boys, didn’t want them ripping her apart whilst I was gone”

“Jia is dead, we saw the body" Alec shakes his head; this had to be a trick, Asmodeus fucking with them one last time.

“A powerful demonic glamour" Asmodeus coughs up more black Ichor, half dazed

“What’s coming, father?” Magnus face betrays him, desperate for the information and scared for some reason he can’t quite fathom.

Asmodeus smiles at Magnus calling him father, was it just to appeal to his ego, Asmodeus didn’t know nor care anymore. His smile was almost human, not the grotesque grin he was accustomed to wearing.

“Hell" Asmodeus’s eyes glaze over and a small exhale of air leaves his body before stillness.

**\---Scene 7---**

Alec moves at a pace towards the infirmary, to see Elena next to Jia following the deployment of an extraction time.

“Where’s Aline?” Alec asks, surprised she isn’t there to be with her mother.

“She’s on a mission, it wont be long before we can reach her" Elena continues to press the warm wet cloth against her bloodied body. There were medical staff of course by Elena had known Jia for decades and she wanted to be useful for her friend.

Alec’s heart broke seeing his friend so destroyed, covered in dirt and blood, scars all over her body from the wounds inflected upon her, her clothes nearly fused to her skin with dried out blood and sweat, her hair was matted and filthy.

“It’s good to have you back" Alec bends his knees to reach Jia’s level. She turns her head to him, her body still, and her face expressionless.

Alec reaches out a hand and holds her firmly, trying to reassure her through physical contact. Elena hides her own vulnerability at the gesture, it felt like a moment of great sorrow tapered with great relief.

Jia's hand doesn’t respond to Alec’s touch.

**\--- Scene 8---**

“How’s Jia” Magnus asks as he hears the door open and feels Alec’s approach, he would recognise the scent in the air and the sounds of those footsteps anywhere. Magnus continues to look at the small pebble under a magnifying glass at his work bench.

“How’s my husband" Alec places his hand on Magnus shoulder.

Magnus lifts Alec’s hand off his shoulder. There’s a panic in Alec momentarily when Magnus does so, fearing the worst, until Magnus, still holding the hand moves it to his lips and places a gentle kiss on the back of Alec’s hand, “I’m fine"

Alec feels through their bond he is far from it.

“Jia?” Magnus prods

“She’s a wreck. The council are also unsure what to do with the fact we have 2 consuls, for the moment Jia is not in a fit state but where we go from there...?” Alec shrugs.

“It’s a communication device"

“Hu?” Alec raises an eye brow at the sudden change of conversation.

“The stone or whatever it is. Powerful magic, I’ve never seen anything like it.” Magnus smiles forcefully, “Powerful enough to not only communicate across planes of existence but to also take control and send huge quantities of demonic power"

“Magnus, maybe we should leave it for now" Alec places his head on Magnus’s shoulder, calmly and softly speaking in his ear. “Magnus, you need a break, from all of this" Alec wraps his arms round his husband, “I know you’re not ok”

“Fucking bond" Magnus rolls his eyes with annoyance that he can’t put up a mask with Alec there, even if the mask is for himself. Magnus looks at Alec and the lines on his head. “Oh sweetie, you know I didn’t mean it. I just, I just wish I could” Magnus groans at not being able to articulate himself.

Alec places a kiss on Magnus lips, it was sudden and forceful but still soft. A few tears drip down Alec’s face as he coos “I know baby, I know"

Magnus had hated his father, but his actions complicated things. The idea that there was any love there disgusted him but also ignited a spark within himself that his father had in a fucked up way loved him, if only he had loved him in a way in which he could have been decent, normal or, well just more human.

“Make me forget” Magnus pleaded, Alec smiled gently as he understood what Magnus needed right now. Lifting Magnus in his arms, bridal style, he continues to kiss Magnus as he carries him to the bedroom.

**\---Scene 9---**

“Hey" Simon barely looks up from his books but instantly recognises Clary’s scent.

“How goes research on the codex" Clary sits next to him.

“Slow, what have you been up to?"

“I just had the best chat with Jace, finally feel like everything is out in the open" Clary smiles widely. Being bonded with Izzy had left her feeling secure that she was Clary, 100% Clary, and there was no need to have hid her concerns from Jace.

“Good” Simon replies still distracted with the work.

“What you working on?” Clary asks, holding up a piece of paper with scribbles on it, “You know your hand writing is horrible right”

Clary finds herself drawn to a particular sheet in the pile of scribbles and pulls it out.

“Hey I had system Fray" Simon frowns.

“Simon, does this say telephone?” Clary asks with a deeply concerned look.

“Well, the Greek...” Simon stops when he sees Clary’s eyes dart, “Yes"

“Call that passage back up"

Simon holds the codex “Est dies lunae. pridie sextus nonas maias anno bis millesimo undevicesimo”

**\--- Scene 10---**

**(Explicit/Smutty)**

Alec ran his finger tips gently along Magnus’s thigh, the light touch sending sparks of electricity through Magnus’s body.

Magnus pulls back from the kiss to moan and shudder at the teasing. “Alexander" he whispers.

Magnus lifts his back slightly off the bed as Alec continues to run his fingers along Magnus’s naked form.

Alec snuggles up against Magnus, laid on his side with a leg hung over Magnus. The touch of his husband’s warm skin against his own brings about a contentment that almost makes him feel drowsy; like he could fall asleep like this in this perfect position. Alec traces Magnus’s flexibility rune, placed on his hip next to his V line. Alec would never have imagined when they first met that he would see Magnus with runes but by the angel did they look so damn sexy on him.

“I love you" Magnus says with his eyes inflated and glossy. They were both still very emotional from recent events and now more than ever they needed each other, beyond their usual passionate and frankly hot sex, they needed tenderness.

“I love you to, Mr Lightwood-Bane” Alec smiles as he nuzzles on Magnus’s neck, licking the side where Magnus was sensitive; just below the ear.

Magnus turns to his side and pulls Alec’s arm over him. Alec’s leg still wrapped around Magnus, Alec pulls Magnus closer with his arm coiled around his stomach.

Alec continues to lick, suck, kiss and playfully bite the nape of Magnus’s neck.

“So comfy" Magnus groans as he pushes his bottom into Alec’s pelvis, “wish I could fuck you when I’m little spoon”

“Well unless there’s a spell to turn our lower half 180 degrees we are gonna have to switch positions if you wanna fuck me” Alec nibbles on Magnus’s ear.

“No far, tops never get to be little spoon during sex" Magnus chuckles.

“Sometimes I wonder if that’s why I’m a bottom" Alec smiles, his chin on Magnus’s shoulder, “We could switch things up if you want?”

“Mmmm" Magnus ponders, Alec loved to get fucked and Magnus was more than happy to oblige. After all, Alec was insatiable. He simply couldn’t enjoy getting fucked any more if he tried. And there was nothing as beautiful as seeing Alec fall to pieces as he made his prostrate go crazy with sensation.

But for both of them there was the odd occasion when they did shake things up and switch.

“but then I don’t get to see you taking my dick and you take it so beautifully Alexander" Magnus smirks.

“That is very true, I do look stunning with dick in me" Alec laughs loudly from his diaphragm. Then a light flickers in Alec’s eyes and smirk appears on his face, “I have an idea"

“Well that can’t be good" Magnus grins, turning his head as far back as he can to see Alec’s face, wanting those lips on his.

Alec tries to suppress his arousal for a moment and concentrate as he snaps his finger.

Looking down Magnus giggles, “Is that a replica of your...”

“yea” Alec beams with pride at his conjuring abilities, “I thought maybe, if you’re fucking me, you could still get fucked too"

Magnus shakes his head in amusement as he takes the newly conjured dildo out of Alec’s hands and inspects it. “All that training is paying off, you got it perfect, even all the veins are right"

Magnus squeezes the dildo, “It feels so real too, I’m impressed"

Magnus leans in for a kiss and Alec gladly leans forward into it, placing his hand along Magnus’s sensitive neck.

“Wait here" Magnus gets out of the bed much to Alec’s involuntary whimpering like a sad puppy.

Magnus leaves the room for all but 30 seconds but it feels like too long for Alec.

Returning with one of his spell books Magnus chants a spell Alec doesn’t recognise and there’s a brief flash of light that engulfs the room.

“What did you do" Alec says in an accusatory but playful tone.

“A spell from a book an old friend gifted me; the high warlock among the Cunning Folk of Britain”

“And what does this spell do?" Alec smirked mischievously.

Magnus smirks as he grasps the dildo and runs his thumb along the slit making Alec gasps and leak a few drops of precum from his own shaft, “That"

“Just don’t stick any needles in it" Alec chuckles at the thought of an effigy of his cock now in existence.

“Now you can fuck me while I fuck you" Magnus leans towards Alec and kisses him deep. The kiss is wet and sloppy. Alec groans when he feels the dildo pressing between their lips as Magnus runs his tongue up the shaft.

Holy fuck, Alec thought, the sensation of two mouths on his cock drove him wild as he and Magnus ran their mouths along the dildo, their tongues often clashing as they kiss with the member between them.

Magnus pulls back slightly, a trail of spit hanging from the dildo.

Alec would object but the second he felt Magnus hands on his ass, lifting them slightly, he knew what was coming.

The second Magnus’s warm tongue hit his rim he was in heaven.

“Suck yourself off" Magnus gasps for air as he pulls back from Alec’s perfect ass before diving back in.

Alec saw the dildo that Magnus was pointing to and placed it in his mouth; he did everything he does to Magnus, curious how it feels.

“Oh fuck" Alec moans ramming the dildo down his throat and feeling the warm tight sensations on his own dripping cock.

Magnus pulls always and teases “See, now you know how hard you make it for me not to cum when you blow me husband”

Still holding Alec’s ass up he grabs the dildo from Alec's mouth, covered in spit as he intended when he asked Alec to blow it, he places it against Alec’s rim. After a moment of resistance due to only spit being used for lube the head of the dildo pops in.

“Fuck fuck fuck" Alec screams as he feels his own tight warm pulsing ass wrapped round his cock.

Magnus starts slow and builds up a rapid pace. He moves up to kiss Alec but never stops fucking Alec with the dildo. Alec’s hip buck, trying to meet the dildo when it slams back in.

“I think you’re ready for me" Magnus grins, pulling the dildo out and lining his cock up to Alec’s hole. Magnus sinks his large cock until he is full buried in Alec’s hole.

Magnus lubes up his own ass with a snap of his finger and then slides the dildo in.

“Ugh" Magnus cries out in pleasure, the sight of Alec’s cock twitching in front of him and the sensation of the dildo doing the same would be enough to set him off at the best of times but with his own cock buried balls deep in Alec’s ass and squeezing on his own hard member, it was a struggle to hold back the tide. He managed not to cum but Magnus glamour was now defiantly down.

After a few moments of regaining control Magnus starts to thrust, eliciting all manner of moans and groans from Alec.

Alec runs his fingers through the warlock’s hair, grabbing a fist of it instinctively. When he bucks up Magnus feels the dildo move forward.

They keep fucking each other for what seems like hours rather than half an hour. Alec is dripping in sweat. Magnus fucking him had always made him cum so hard and often hands free but now feeling the phantom hole of his husband clamping down on his own cock was just too much. 

Alec’s hips shook, his ass desperately try to slam down onto Magnus’s firm cock, but his pelvis wanting to thrust more into Phantom Magnus’s ass.

“Suami" Alec screams as he cums hard, ropes of thick cum coat his chest and neck, a large glob on his deflect rune.

Magnus is not far away when he feels the throbbing of the dildo as Alec unloads. He also loves when Alec blurts out Indonesian like that during sex.

He notices the big glob of Alec’s cum on his deflect rune and can’t help himself, he leans over and runs his tongue along the rune, sweeping up the cum and sending tingles through the rune into Alec’s whole body.

Magnus continues to hit Alec’s prostrate as he licks and sucks on Alec’s cummy deflect run and finds himself surprised and delighted when he hears Alec scream again and more cum goes flying, hitting his own delicate goatee.

The squeeze from Alec’s ass and the rapid second orgasm from Alec tips Magnus over the edge. He slams one last time in to Alec, moaning as his cock pulses and unloads a massive amount of cum into Alec’s desperate hole. Alec lays limp on the bed, feeling the cum fill him and cooing softly, “yes, yes, fill me"

After several minutes of resting on too of Alec, both of them panting and being limp in the post orgasm bliss that follows, “Next time we do that spell on you" Alec jokes breathless.

“Oh?”

“Yea, next time you’re putting both your cock and your voodoo dildo in my ass" Alec smiles. It’s not like Magnus had not double penetrated Alec before using a dildo but this spell would take it to a whole new level.

The apartment door knocks.

Magnus pulls out, waves his hand to clear the cum and sweat off both their chests, and throw some clothes over them both.

Answering the door Magnus rolls his eye when he sees Clary and Simon, it was quite late and they just ensured there would be no round two right this second, much to Magnus’s annoyance.

**\--- Scene 11---**

**(Explicit/smutty)**

“Do we have to wait for Izzy and Jace?” Alec huffed.

Simon sniffs the air for a moment and smirks.

“Something funny Lewis?” Alec says annoyed at the interruption and the fact they Clary won’t say what’s so important until her Parabatai is here.

Simon leans into Alec’s ear, “You’re dribbling"

Alec quickly wipes his hand over his mouth, it’s completely dry, “No I’m not"

“Wasn’t talking about your mouth big guy" Simon winks.

Alec flushes red as he realises that could feel a small trickle of cum down his thigh, leaking from his well fucked hole. Simon’s vampire senses clearly could smell it.

“Don’t get so embarrassed, you’re not the first lightwood I’ve come across leaking cu...”

“Simon, Alec is not as, _open_ about that aspect of our life as you or I" Magnus interrupted.

**\--- Scene 12---**

“So the barriers, the walls that separate our planes of existence are kind of like a fishing net that prevents anything from passing through.” Clary explains, much to the confusion of the rest of the team.

“The hint was in the word telephone" Simon interjected.

“Like a spider feeling vibrations through its web, the Angels can feel but also communicate through the strands that make the net up. It’s kind of like how when you made a telephone as a kid from cans and string" Clary continues, before pausing, right, they didn’t really do those things as kids growing up in the shadowhunter world.

“the Angels call it that, the telephone line, their idea of a pun I guess" Simon shrugs

“So there’s a problem with the telephone line? That’s why they can’t communicate" Alec asks, confused still a little.

“That might explain the device Asmodeus was using" Magnus adds solemnly.

“There is only one reason why their ability to communicate through that the telephone line would falter the way it is" Simon gulps.

“The net, the barriers that separate our planes of existence are breaking down" Clary shakes

“What?” Jace is stunned.

“In another 3 months, they will start to be able to penetrate the barrier and manifest on our plane of existence without being summoned in any fashion" Clary continues

“Then the Angels will be able to come through too right?” Izzy interjects

“Yes, in theory. We’ve seen angels before but they need to be summoned from our side in some fashion, using the mortal instruments like Raziel or the mortal mirror summoning Ithuriel when I was dazed and confused, or when I used that ritual to bring forth Ithuriel just before his death”

“But it gets worse" Simon bites his lip

Clary takes a deep breath, “At first they’ll be able to manifest for brief periods of time, but manifesting in this realm means a weakened state to what they have on their plane of existence, as time progresses, they’ll be able to stay longer and draw more power from their plane. In 2, maybe 3 years the barriers will have completely collapsed and there will be no separation of our planes, they will be as powerful here as they are in their own plane of existence"

“We won’t survive it" Simon holds back his tears as he looks at Izzy, she was going to die, they all were.

“We’ve seen how powerful a demon can be when they draw energy from their plane. The only thing that stopped Asmodeus was himself" Magnus shakes

“How did this happen? Maybe there is a way to reverse it, I don’t know, rebuild the barriers?” Jace almost sounds like he is pleading, begging Clary for an answer to solve the problem.

“We caused this" Clary trembled.

Izzy felt the guilt and sorrow radiating through her bond.

“How?” Alec shakes his head, sceptical.

“When Jonathan opened the rift to Edom, it was like a wound in the barier but rather than healing it closed, we were able to infect it and the barier when...” Clary closes her eyes, focusing on trying to finish the sentence.

“When I destroyed Edom with heavenly fire” Izzy felt it, she knew what was coming, she could sense that Clary was scared to say it because she would feel the burden.

Simon nods, he can’t say much more.

“No Iz, we, all of us, we destroyed Edom" Jace squeezes his sister close to him.

“but you wouldn’t have done that had you not come to rescue me" Magnus sat, burying his head in his hands.

Seeing them blame themselves made Alec snap out of it. “No, we don’t have time for self pity or guilt"

“Alec" Clary says gently

“I’m sorry we don’t have the luxury of it. Our world is at stake, billions of lives, mundane, downworlder, shadowhunter. We need to stop this" Alec’s anger boiling, directed at the situation and not his friends.

“Alec, how can we stop this" Izzy shakes her head.

“I don’t know, but I am not giving up, and if hell is going to destroy everything I love. I will make those bastards pay for every inch of land they claim, every life they take. They want hell? Let’s give it to them" Alec grits his teeth, Magnus and Jace feeling the strength of his resolve through their bonds.

One by one they nod in agreement, until only Izzy remains.

Alec looks at Izzy intensely. A smile forms on her face, “We’ve got this”

“We’ve got this?” Jace raises his eye brow

“It’s no problem" Izzy turns to look directly at Alec with almost a smirk, “we're Lightwoods"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments if you can. Knowing people are enjoying this keeps me going.   
I drink praise like Alec drinks Magnus's c.... cocktails, yeah, thats where I was going with that, Magnus's famous cocktails!


	16. Something precious in the heat of war

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fallen angels have started to appear and shape our world.   
Alec launches the first major attack in the war testing out a new covert weapon but finds some precious on the way.

_“They’ll be able to stay longer and draw more power from their plane. In 2, maybe 3 years the barriers will have completely collapsed and there will be no separation of our planes, they will be as powerful here as they are in their own plane of existence”_

** _…7 months later_ **

**\---Scene 1---**

“Don’t be afraid” Alec tries to stay calm, coaxing the young boy out of his hiding place.

The child couldn’t have been more than 5 or 6 years old, his dark hair matted, his face full of dirt.

Reaching out a hand the child burrowed deeper under the nest he had built in the vent.

“Lily?”

The dark haired vampire next to Alec spoke softly in Spanish to the child. Initially the waft of Nephilim blood from the kid made Lily keep a bit of distance.

Reluctantly the child reached out to Alec and cautiously grabbed Alec’s hand.

The young child wrapped his arms around Alec so tightly Alec let’s out a groan at the vice like grip much to Lily Chen’s amusement.

When the child finally loosed his grip Alec looked into his brown eyes and smiled, pointing at himself he simply says “Alec”, then pointing at Lily, “Lily", and finally a big guy a few feet behind them, “John”.

Alec then points at the child, who breaks down in tears, Alec’s heart shatters at the sight of the sobbing, this was the effect of war; a 5 year old living on the street trying to stay alive.

“Rafe" the child bellows before burying his face deeper into Alec’s neck, the tears clearing a path in the dirt on his face.

**  
\---Scene 2---**

“We should portal him back to New York" Lily rubs her forehead. They were stuck for the time being in the abandoned apartment in Buenos Aires as Rafe slept on the bed.

“If we portal this close to the district they’ll detect the use of runes. We can risk it" Alec sits next to Rafe and runs his hands over the now cleaned hair.

“He’s like five; it’s not safe to take him with us Alec!” Lily throws her hands up exasperated.

“Which is why John is staying behind with the kid" Alec turns to look at the wolf, a brutish looking fella who was in reality gentle giant.

John rolls his eyes and grunts.

Alec missed the days of running missions with his core group but with the war raging on this was not always possible. Really running missions of any kind were not possible as consul but Alec was not your usual consul and on this mission Alec was keen to be present despite the council’s objections; which was why Lily was present. The vampire was one of several on the new council, the twenty previously vacant seats taken up by downworlders.

“So now there are only two of us on mission?” Lily shakes her head.

“This is a surgical strike, best to have a small number of us” Alec shrugs, knowing Lily’s annoyance.

Alec held a lot of respect for Lily; initially he had hoped Simon would join the council as his influence as the daylighter would unite many vampires to the claves war efforts. However Simon had taken a different approach and rather than start his own clan took on an almost spiritual leader role, bringing order to the various clans but not seeking to run them on a day to day basis.

Lily had been Simon’s chosen amongst the New York Clan to lead the vampires and Alec had been impressed by her leadership so much so that Lily was invited to join the council; and in an unofficial capacity she had became somewhat a leader amongst the downworld members of the council.

“Please don’t tell me you’re risking our lives because you had an itch to be back in the field"

“I’m in the field because I have no intention of being the general who sits in his officers’ bunker while good people die on the front lines. Anything I ask of others I need to be able to do myself" Alec huffed

“I get that, I do, but you are still the leader of the Clave in exile, and we are at war right now”

“You’re here? Delegate Chen. You have a clan to lead" Alec smirks

“I do, but instead I’m looking after your sorry ass. I won’t have your successor think we didn’t make every effort to keep you safe before you got yourself killed"

Alec dismisses Lily’s concern with a puff of air and a look, “Don’t worry about looking after my ass”

“Well I suppose you have your warlock husband for that" Lily teases

John laughs in a deep grunt in the corner.

**  
\---Scene 3---**

Alec pushes Lily back into the wall of the alley as a demon walks along the adjoining road.

They need to get to the warehouse district nearby to use the prototype weapon, although it made getting there harder at night the demons went hunting leaving the district relatively quiet and easier to plant the actual device.

Alec softly snaps his fingers and the slightest blue light appears for a moment.

Lily suddenly feels like she has fallen on her back on the floor except she is on her back on the wall.

Alec crawls along the wall, pausing every so often when a demon was nearby. Lily was not far behind but found the change in orientation odd as the wall become the floor from their perspective.

Alec had quickly come into his own magically, impressing warlocks and worrying a small few shadowhunters in the process.

When they reach the top of the building Alec looks for their target, a warehouse at the centre of the district.

It takes them another hour or so to get their target location slowly and cautiously. Crawling carefully on the roof Alec and Lily open a small sky light, only 60 or so demons remain inside, feasting on charred remains, a mixture of animals but mostly human flesh. The others would be back soon, the demons had been nothing if not predictable, their hunts lasting only so long from what the clave intelligence had found.

Still using his magic to control the relative flow of gravity for him and Lily, Alec crawls into the warehouse, slowly moving along the ceiling. Lily is close by but is freaking out that she is crawling on a ceiling so high above a gaggle of demons.

When they reach a beam near the centre Alec places the briefcase like device and straps it to the structural beam. Carefully opening the lid Alec places his thumb on a finger print scanner. After bashing away at several keys Alec activates a remote detonation sequence in the device and they slowly crawl back to the skylight.

Once back on the roof Alec’s heart stops pummelling slightly and he breaths a slight pause of relief.

“Could you, I don’t know, relax a bit more. All that blood pumping is making this a bit difficult for me to focus" Lily complains.

Alec let’s out a silent chuckle.

Within the hour they are both at a safe distance. Alec sighs when he sees Rafe hiding in a back alley and John searching for him nervously with demons not far away.

Lily and Alec bolt to their location. Alec grabs Rafe roughly and places him into his arms, climbing the building at speed whilst Lily motions for John to follow her up the fire escape on the side of the building before their positions are made.

“What happened?” Lily asked John

“The brat whacked me in the balls with the bedside lamp is what fucking happened" John rubs his crotch, it still hurts! I’ve been following his scent for the last 20 minutes"

“Rafe what the hell were you thinking you could have been killed" Alec shakes Rafe.

Race’s eyes inflate, he doesn’t quite understand what Alec is saying but he knows he is mad.

Lily translates for Rafe. After Rafe says what he wants to with tears in his eyes, Lily sighs and explains to Alec, “he said he was worried you would be killed and came looking for you"

Alec hugs the boy and with Lily translating as he goes he explains, “You can’t risk your life for mine or any of us. You need to stay safe"

Lily continues to translate for Rafe, “He wants to know why you went out at night. He says that’s when the demons are mostly wondering the street"

After explaining the situation via Lily that they are on a mission Rafe becomes more on edge but also very sorry for sneaking out.

Alec gets out a tablet and brings up a sensor map of the area. Although the local institute was destroyed months ago the demonic sensors still worked.

“Alec we can’t risk holding off any longer and there are more than enough demons returned to the district" Lily prompts him. The sensors show at least 4000 demons in close proximity to the device.

Alec gets them all to duck behind the half wall at the roof edge and pulls out the remote detonator.

“By the angel please work" Alec begs to himself quietly.

Alec flips a cover revealing a switch which Alec promptly flips.

Alec covers Rafe's ears and Lily tells him to shut his eyes.

A large bright light illuminates the sky from behind the wall. A deep rumbling sound quickly follows before they feel a burst of heat and air rushing over their heads. Unearthly screeches pierce their ears.

“That’s our cue" John shouts.

Alec’s eyes glow and a portal appears in front of them. Lily pulls out a small device like a pinpad and types a long series of numbers into it.

“Now" Lily tells them before they all lunge at the portal with Alec carrying Rafe in his arms.

As they jump through the portal ALEC turns his head for a moment to see the bright all consuming light from the district

**  
\---Scene 4---**

The four of them appear in an enclosed room and the portal collapses.

Rafe finds the space odd, a concrete block with cameras and weapons all along the walls pointing at them and a single giant metal door like a vault door along one wall which glows slightly orange. He grabs Alec’s top tightly, afraid of the new space.

An orange glow encapsulates the entire room before the wall with the door stops glowing. A loud buzz echoes in the room and the door opens to several shadowhunters.

“Welcome back Sir" a tall blond man says.

The portal rooms had been developed as a way to allow deployment and return of teams into the heavily warded complex.

**  
\---Scene 5---**

Alec and Lily smile, holding Rafe's hand in the infirmary ward as the boy sits on the bed attended to be a medic.

Rafe points at Alec’s neck. The boy says something in Spanish and Lily translates, “he asks if that is the deflect rune" Alec smiles and nods.

“He is seriously malnourished and has a few scrapes and bumps but otherwise he seems ok" the medic continues to examine the kid, “his parents?”

Lily translates and Rafe looks glum and his eyes water, he explains to Lily.

“He says his father was killed during the attack on the institute and his mother managed to get him out but she died a week later defending him from a Ravener” Lily shakes her head.

“Well you’re a brave boy” Alec squeezes his hand, almost in disbelief that the kid managed to survive for months in a demon infested city.

Rafe points to another rune on Alec’s wrist, fascinated by them. Alec explains “This rune helps me learn other languages; I can learn a language in weeks instead of years”

Rafe had never seen that rune before, he had heard of stories from his parents about a prophet that had brought with her new runes from the angels and thought this must be one of them.

Rafe’s eyes glow and a copy of the rune appears on his arm, glowing brightly.

“Talented little guy isn’t it. Took me a good month to train myself to draw runes without my stele" the medic smiles.

“Ok I’m going to leave you with the doctor ok? And someone will be with you in the morning to find you a new home with other kids like you, where you will be safe" Alec squeezes the boys shoulder.

“No" Rafe shouts, jumping and wrapping his arms around Alec so tightly they could cut off blood circulation.

Rafe continues his sentence in Spanish and Lily rolls her eyes, “he wants to stay with you. He says the infirmary looks scary"

Alec huffs slightly, “Well I guess you can stay with me until the morning, there’s a spare bedroom at mine and Magnus is still on mission to the spiral labyrinth”

**  
\--- Scene 6---**

“I see you have a new friend" Elena jokes as Alec pours her a coffee.

Rafe sits under the dining table, Alec supposes be feels safer there sitting underneath it. Rafe seems completely intrigued by the man on Alec’s phone; there are loads of pictures of the two of them- him and Magnud.

“I thought he’d play candy crush of something but he just seems interested in my photos" shrugs Alec

“So the device was a success" Elena smiles

“How many?” Alec sips on his coffee

“All of them in the blast radius. Over 4000 demons killed. Why are you not looking as impressed" Elena scrunches her face up.

“I am, it’s a great new weapon" Alec sighs

“But?”

“I’m not convinced the warlocks can manufacture the device large scale. It was a lot of work for them to create a magical container that could contain the energy from the sunlight rune and then it took ages to _charge_ it to that yield; to contain that many equivalents of a normal sunlight rune within it" Alec shrugs

“Well we asked for something that could contain the power of a thousand sunlight runes. It’s a prototype, now that we know it works we can start manufacturing more"

“It will still take time to make enough. It affects downworlders too and we know it is not likely to harm a fallen" Alec sips more coffee, rubbing his temple

“Well aren’t you a ball of sunshine" Elena chuckles, “Alec We are researching and finding new runes and methods to win this war. It will happen and right now we’ve gotten something that we might be able to use on the battlefield against a demon army. Ok it’s not perfect but it’s better than it was months ago"

“Since the fallen started making their way to our plane, we’ve seen whole cities corrupted and tens of thousands of new demons are being created" Alec rubs the ache in his neck, “but you’re right, I am a bit gloomy today I guess"

**  
\---Scene 7---**

“Alexander? I’m home!” Magnus beams. It was early morning and that meant Alec was almost certainly in bed, he wasn’t a morning person. But that suits Magnus just fine, after 9 days away the prospect of morning sex had perked him up.

“Magnus" Alec sleeping rubbed his eyes.

“Husband, care to explain" Magnus raised an eye brow at the sleeping 5 year old in their bed.

“He keeps sneaking in late at night" Alec shakes his head

“I though you said he was staying one night" Magnus looks puzzled.

“Well getting an update to you in the spiral labyrinth is kind of tricky” Alec carefully gets out of the bed trying not to disturb the sleeping child.

Closing the door behind him Alec wraps his arms around Magnus for a lingering hug, by the angel he had missed him.

“Alexander? You going to tell me what’s going on?”

“Well we have a lot of orphaned kids right now, and when they came to place him, well the temporary shelters are getting full and they are starting to struggle to find foster families so I thought he could stay a little bit longer” Alec makes puppy dog eyes at Magnus, “a week, two tops"

“You make it impossible to say no" Magnus sighs, “And if it’s just for a few weeks until they can find him a family, we are in a war, we all have to play a part"

“Thank you" Alec squeezes Magnus hard enough for Magnus to let out a yelp.

“Magnus” a little voice calls out, full of excitement from the bedroom entrance.

Rafe runs and joins the hug, “You home! Alec missed!”

Magnus glares at Alec in a bemused way.

“Yea he is kind of obsessed with you; he’s been fascinated by our photos and always asking about you" Alec chuckles.  
  


**\---Scene 8---**

Clary turns the corner and let’s out a huff when she and Jace sees their bedroom door. Outside are baskets full of food and trinkets, notes and letters.

“This is getting old, fast" Clary moans

“We're at war, it's understandable people would find something to latch on to. We could do with some hope right now" Jace tries to reassure her.

“I’m not a prophet, or some messiah Jace" Clary shakes her head.

“No you’re not, but you hold Ithuriel's memories. It’s not surprising"

“Maybe but I don’t like it. I don’t like people thinking I’m sent to save them or that I can some how end this war" Clary picks up a note and reads it, “This one is asking me to look over her son at the Paris Institute, I’m not omnipresent for fucks sake"

“Clary. People are desperate and scared. That's all. Don’t let it get to you" Jace kisses Clary softly and Clary relaxes. “Maybe you should talk to Simon about it"

Clary let’s out a grunt. Simon would understand the frustration of it. The vampires see him as some kind of saviour too, believing if they follow him they will become daylighters as well despite Simons instance that they wont.

**  
\--- Scene 9---**

“I still don’t get why you picked me to lead the Clan" Lily shrugs as she drinks her blood at the bar next to Simon.

“Really? I thought it was quite obvious" Simon chuckles.

“I’m not some mindless fanatic who is going to follow your every word or worship you as some kind of vampire Jesus or Dalai Lama”

“That’s why I chose you Lily" Simon laughs, “I don’t need _believers_. I need people like you that will make you’re own damn decisions and think for yourself. I know what I am and what I am not"

“Then why don’t you convince everyone of that" Lily moans

“Hey I’ve tried but right now we need to be united if we are going to have any fucking chance of making it through this war. I don’t like it, I know you probably think I do but I don’t get off with people following me about hanging on to my every word"

“You could have fooled me" Lily rolls her eyes

“I’m not a leader, you are! And if I can be some unifying figure so we’re not at each others throats then I guess that’s what I need to be right now" Simon gulps the blood in his glass.

**  
\---Scene 10---**

The council had deemed the _light-bomb_ as it had been nicknamed a success but not without concern about time it takes manufacturing the devices. Discussions had taken place about if smaller scale versions could be developed but the time it took to make the device was prohibitive and so it was accepted that to make it viable as a weapon meant they would have to accept high yield but few devices at their disposal.

The council had approved the development and exploration of various weapons that might give them an edge in battle.

“The raid on the fallen outpost at Ports Moresby was successful?” Lydia asks amongst the council meeting.

“Yes, we found a cache of weapons which we think might hold the key to defeating them" Izzy acknowledges

“How so madam Secretary?” Maia asks. Maia was one of the five new delegates on the council representing the wolves and one of twenty downworlders now on the council. She had been thrilled to join the council and influence the clave but found the formal proceedings a bit pompous at times; missing the more casual approach Izzy had taken during her time in the New York cabinet meetings back in the day.

Izzy wanted to roll her eyes at the title but times had changed and so had their structures. Izzy, now the Secretary of intelligence did miss her more active participation in the field but couldn’t turn Alec and Elena down when they created numerous new roles in light of the war and the new engagement from many tribes, clans and packs of the downworld.

“If I may?” Clary asks with a nod from Izzy.

“These new weapons are designed by the fallen for their army to kill angels" Clary starts

“I thought we wanted to kill the fallen not angels" Meliorn interrupts

“Quite right your majesty" Clary addresses Meliorn, now king of the Seelies, somewhat; around a third of the Seelie tribes you had united behind him and recognised him as their new overall leader. The tribes still maintained some autonomy and it would never go back to the old way of having a only sovereign ruler but he had been heavily backed by the Clave and the downworlders as a way of bringing the Seelies on board with the war efforts.

“We know from the few engagements our forces have had when the fallen have breached our plane that they are resistant to the sunlight rune and the soul sword when activated" Izzy chimes in, knowing that Meliorn's respect for her would stop him and make him listen.

“While there is some susceptibility due to their demon blood we believe that because they were once angels they have a physiological resilience” Izzy continues

“The weapons they’ve developed against the angels work in a very similar way to the sunlight rune except they operate on a different frequency” Clary shrugs, “it is possible that I can adjust the frequency of the sunlight rune to match their weapons and use it against the fallen"

“How?” Evan, the blonde former head of the Nordic Enclave and now council member probes Clary with some scepticism.

“The sunlight rune contains within its design the frequency of the energy emitted. Thanks to Ithuriel’s memories I am confident that a slight tweak to the rune design would give us the ability to change the frequency” Clary tries to seem confident with what she is saying but in truthfulness she is not as confident.

“They are still incredibly powerful and grow in power each time they breach our plane. What is to stop them from simply healing from a sunlight rune attack, altered or not, like Asmodeus was able to" Elena shakes her head.

“That’s where the stones come in" Magnus offers.

“The stone Asmodeus had?” Maia raises an eyebrow

“I’ve been working with the elders of the spiral labyrinth to see if we can duplicate that magic in order to weaponise it" Magnus offers. “The stone Asmodeus had was designed to channel energy and communications mostly from the higher planes to ours but we think we can reverse it"

The council seem confused and unsure.

“We think we can use our version of the stone to disrupt their ability to draw power from their plane of existence which would make them vulnerable to our attacks" Alec explains

“According to your reports, the fallen were able to control Asmodeus through that stone, what’s to stop them from taking control of one of us using yours?” Meliorn pushes back, obviously not convinced.

“That’s why it has taken so long to duplicate that magic safely. As much as we can without collapsing the magic of the stone we've limited their ability to influence through the stone. But they will only be able to be wielded by someone with a powerful mind" Magnus reassures the council.

“I’m still a bit uneasy on the concept of _limited their ability_” Elena firmly responds.

“The original stone was designed to channel influence from the higher planes to the lower planes but to balance that it meant Asmodeus had limited influence back and with very limited success try to resist. We are looking at the same dynamic but in reverse" Magnus argues

**  
\--- Scene 11---**

Alec looks up from his desk as he goes through reports, cocking an eye brow at Izzy tapping her pen.

“Ok what?” Alec says curtly

Izzy shrugs, “What?”

Alec pulls a face that Izzy recognises very well, the _really sister_ face.

“You didn’t come here to hang out with me while we work. You’re never afraid to speak your mind, what’s bothering you?”

Izzy sighs, “I’m not happy that you have granted so much power to the council on war matters"

Alec huffs dismissively.

“The council is there to advise the Consul. War needs decisive action Alec"

“This is no ordinary war Izzy, and no ordinary council" Alec places the report down, “This is no longer just a battle waged by the Nephilim. If we are to have any kind of chance we need the downworlders on board”

“I’m not talking about putting downworlders on the council, Alec I think that’s great but I don’t think that means relinquishing...”

“Izzy" Alec interrupts firmly, “This is the cost of uniting everyone. I can’t expect the downworlders to follow me blindly, or our own people for that matter; we have already lost thousands of our kind to Dearborn and his fanatics. They need to be empowered for this to work; they need to be meaningfully involved in the major decisions of this war"

“No one has joined Dearborn since the Clave went into exile!” Izzy argues.

“Not yet. But we are getting our asses kicked here and things are going to get worse, much worse. What happens when the tens of thousands of shadowhunters who voted for Dearborn during the elections decide they chose the wrong side by respecting the results"

Izzy pauses, she knows Alec is right but finds the whole new approach frustrating; depending on the council for approval on major decisions regarding the war.

**  
\---Scene 12---**

“Maia" Alec smiles, throwing an arm around her, “How is my favourite pack leader"

“Don’t tell the other wolves on the council that" Magnus chuckles.

“I’m actually here to talk business" Maia keeps a stern face prompting an raised brow from Magnus, they had just been in a council meeting earlier that day

“Well that doesn't mean we can’t still have cocktails" Alec smiles hoping to disarm Maia, flickering his wrist all three of them find a Martini in their hands as they sit down on the couches.

Maia breaks slightly with a laugh, “You have picked up way too many habits from your husband"

“I should go check Rafe is asleep" Magnus smiles popping out briefly.

“So the kid is staying?” Maia asks

“Until we can find a home for him" Alec nods

“Hmm" Maia smirks, “Seems he has one here. Fatherhood suits you both"

“We…I… No we just didn’t want him to have to stay in a centre waiting to be placed with a family" Alec stutters in surprise.

“Fast asleep" Magnus smiles as he swaggers back in the room much to the relief of Alec, “So what business brings you to our humble home"

“You’re putting a lot of wolves on the front lines” Maia gulps.

“I hope you don’t think we are using the packs as canon fodder" Alec says with genuine concern.

“No I get it; we have a natural resilience to magical attacks, especially demonic. Just the way we are built. I get it Alec but that’s not what I’m driving at" Maia places the cocktail on the table, “it’s the same reason why the fallen are putting a lot of effort recruiting wolves as you know. Between being on the front lines and the fallen we are loosing a lot of wolves"

Alec seems genuinely confused, but notices the glint of anger in Magnus’s eyes.

Maia takes a deep breath, “We need permission from the clave to turn Mundanes”

“WHAT?!?” Magnus says in shock and surprise, “Of all people, Maia, I know what you went through- you want to turn people? Make them go through what you did?”

“Not in the way your thinking" Maia continues, “Not by force. But, there are those who are ill, some terminally; we’d could be giving them a second chance and improving our chances in surviving this war"

“Being turned does revitalised health, the wolf body is a strong thing, and sure in some cases can heal some serious mundane illness but not all of them" Alec shakes his head.

“Maia a second chance is one thing but you’re asking Mundanes to join a war in exchange for that second chance" Magnus points out, almost exasperated.

“What’s to stop the vampires asking the same thing Maia" Alec points out.

“They probably will, and the packs have already considered that, we will not object if they ask the same"

“The wolves will accept more vampires in the world?” Magnus scoffs.

“We are at war Magnus, the usual rules do not apply. We are not asking to go around turning Mundanes all casual, just permission from the clave to turn those who ask and consent. And you know that our enemies will be turning more to their cause and without the same regard we are suggesting"

“Ask? Consent? You will go to people at their most vulnerable and exploit them?” Magnus huffs, downing his drink.

Alec sits silent and stunned but also considered. He finally speaks with a serious and almost reluctant tone, “We'd need safeguards in place. The council won’t accept it otherwise"

“Alec, you can’t seriously...”

“Safeguards to prevent exploitation. You’re right, we need the numbers but we cant be cavalier about it" Alec interrupts Magnus firmly who shoots him a glare.

“We’ve given some thought to that" Maia admits, “A vampire can incanto those we approach who say no. That way we won’t risk exposure, although if we lose this war that be a mute point"

“The warlocks have a potion, it kind of clears the head so that it is not clouded by emotions or desperation; allow them to make their decision rationally” Magnus says with a plain face.

“Thank you Magnus" Maia nods sympathetically

“Don’t you dare thank me, I’m not offering this for you or even the clave, I’m doing it for the poor bastard whose going to have to make that choice" Magnus shoot back, his hands on his waist as he paces slightly, “don’t think I’m happy with this; I just know I can stop you pushing this"

“You’re right” Maia admits with a heavy heart, “you can't”

**\--- Scene 13---**

“My boys" Maryse’s smile quickly fades as she enters the door Magnus magically opened and sees Alec scurry away the bedding from the couch.

“Hi Mom" Alec weakly smiles as he hugs her.

Magnus joins them and gives a kiss on Maryse's cheek, “Morning Maryse dear. How are you adjusting to life as a shadowhunter again?”

A number of shadowhunters who had been stripped of their runes had been offered the chance to rejoin the clave in order to fight in the war, alongside those who had been held at the guard. Although Alec had been thrilled at his mother being given an opportunity to be a shadowhunter again he had left it at the discretion of a team headed by Lydia in order to remove any conflicts of interest.

“I want to say like riding a bike but in all honesty I had gotten used to mundane life" Maryse smiles, “but enough about me, what’s going on here?”

“Alexander can explain. I need to get Rafe to Catarina's. He is spending the day with her and Madzie; no good keeping him cooped up with no other kids his age" Magnus disappears into Rafe’s room.

Alec remains tight lipped and an awkward silence descends in the room until Magnus comes out with young Rafe, all dressed up in designer clothes thanks to Magnus and a small backpack filled with toys Alec had conjured for him.

“Bye Alec" Rafe warmly waves, unaware or ignoring the tension as they leave the front door of the loft. Magnus did miss being able to portal but for security reasons the loft sat atop of the New York super-institute which was encompassed by powerful wards meaning the only way out was the specially designed portal rooms.

“So how long has this being going on?” Maryse raises an eyebrow.

Alec rubs the sleep out of his eyes and pours a coffee for the both of them at the breakfast bar.

“The last 2 nights" Alec shakes his head, tired from tossing on the couch, missing the warmness of his husband at night to cuddle up to.

“Yea I heard about the council’s decision yesterday. Everyone is talking about it" Maryse admits, she knows Magnus couldn’t be happy with the decision to allow Mundanes to be turned, even in very limit circumstances and under strict controls.

“These are unusual times" Alec nods.

“You’re going to have to do something about it. I don’t want to see you two stumble because of this" Maryse holds her son’s hand.

Maryse had grown so fond of Magnus since Alec had gotten with the warlock, although admittedly it was rough initially.

“Yeah, I know" Alec sighs. Quickly wanting to change the subject Alec probes his mother on her life, “Clary said you and Luke had put the wedding on hold"

Maryse sips from her coffee, playing with it really. “I don’t know if now is the right time, what with the war and…”

“Mom there is never a _perfect_ time. You love him and he is good for you” Alec hugs his mother.

“It’s not just the war" Maryse takes a deep breath, “I’m pregnant”

“Mom that’s amazing" Alec chokes on his coffee in surprise. His face lights up at the prospect of another sibling.

“I haven’t told Luke yet”

“Why not?” Alec is totally confused; those two are perfect together and would make great parents again.

“I guess with everything happening, to bring a baby into this? In the middle of a war?"

“You’ve had kids during a war before" Alec reminds her.

“Not like this" Maryse wipes a tear from her eyes, “I don’t want their life to be over before they have even lived it"

“Oh mom" Alec squeezes her in a hug tightly.

“Listen, if you promise to talk to Luke I promise to talk to Magnus"

Maryse laughs through the tears, sniffling an “Ok" before taking a deep breath and regaining her composure.

**\--- Scene 14---**

**(Smutty/explicit)**

Alec tightens his grip on the sheets below him as Magnus slides his cock in and out of his ass. The walls of his hole squeeze like a vice against Magnus’s long shaft as Alec comes down from his mind shattering orgasm; cum painting their bodies. Alec had purposefully aimed at Magnus’s chest and although Alec was always quite the shooter, several nights on the couch had made his balls especially full.

Magnus couldn’t hold back much longer, warm fresh cum dripping from his face from where Alec had blown his load all over him.

Biting his lip as his own release builds Magnus gets a taste of his husband’s seed from the splatters that landed on his mouth.

“Fuck" Magnus screams as he unloads deep inside Alec’s rectum.

Magnus collapses on top of Alec’s sweaty and cum soaked chest, panting heavily.

“Well that was a hell of an apology” Magnus chuckles.

“Yea but I think Dinner is going to be ruined" Alec laughs.

“Shit” Magnus remembers. With swirling blue light Magnus turns off the oven in the kitchen, not wanting to leave the bedroom and Alec’s embrace.

“Sorry, you worked so hard on that meal too" Magnus sighs.

“It’s ok babe" Alec sweeps the hair out of Magnus for head.

Magnus twitches, he should move and sensing this Alec quickly retorts “Don’t you dare pull out, not yet" a wicked grin washes over him.

“So do you accept?” Alec asks sheepishly

“Accept what? Not pulling out?” Magnus teases

“The apology”

Magnus looks at those big hazel puppy eyes, he looks wounded.

“No" Magnus chokes out.

Alec nods, tears welling up as he turns slightly to hide his face from Magnus.

Magnus’s places his finger on Alec’s chin and moves his face back to face him, his cat eyes piercing Alec’s soul.

“Because there is nothing to apologise for" Magnus wells up a bit himself.

“But…”

“I don’t agree with the decision you or Maia or the council took. But I’m angry, at the situation, not you" Magnus runs the back of his hand down Alec’s cheek; flushed red from the pumping blood.

“You could have fooled me"

Magnus nods, “I’m sorry. I struggled with how I felt about it all. I understand why you did it” he pauses, “I just... I just hate that that's where we are at; how desperate will we become in this war? How far will we take things? How many people will be signing up for something they can’t possibly comprehend until they are in the thick of it?”

Alec nods, “What else?”

Magnus tries to play it off with a shake.

“bonded" Alec reminds him.

“I feel so selfish saying it, so selfish that this bothers me even more than all those other things"

Alec inflates his eyes, how does he do that Magnus ponders, those big beautiful eyes begging him to tell him; to tell Alec every insecurity and hurt.

“It’s so easy for them, but I will never bring a warlock into this world. Even if it wasn’t for the fact we’re two guys, warlocks can’t have kids. It’s not fair; they get to have new friends, family, comrades. I can’t have that unless some poor woman is used by a demon and every new warlock I meet I feel a swell of pity. My mother took her own life because of what I was"

Alec wraps his arms around Magnus and holds him close.

**\--Scene 15---**

Alec wakes to a firm shake. Opening his eyes he sees Rafe standing over the bed.

“Papis! Papis! I had a nightmare, can I stay with you" Rafe pleads.

Alec looks into those brown eyes and with a half smile nods. Looking over to Magnus who is now awake Alec sees the smile creeping up on Magnus.

Alec slyly flicks his wrist under the covers, suddenly clothing him and Magnus in boxers and tank tops before Rafe has a chance to lift the covers.

Rafe jumps in between them and places his head on Magnus’s arm. Alec runs his hands through Rafe’s hair.

“_Papis?_” Alec mouths to Magnus in surprise.

Magnus cocks a smile and shakes his head slightly to say _don’t question it_, after all now was not really the time to correct Rafe; the poor kid had just had a bad dream.

It doesn’t take long for the small boy to drift off with Alec’s hand in his hair. Once he is sure Rafe was deep in sleep Alec extends his arms over Rafe and his Husband.

“Papis!” Alec smiles and sighs at the same time. “I’m going to miss the little guy once they find him a home"

“Maybe he already has one" Magnus looks deeply into Alec’s eyes.

“Magnus” Alex says softly and with a tone as to say _we cant_.

“Why not?” Magnus asks, predicting Alec’s thoughts. “Sweetie, I know we weren’t planning it but you can’t deny you’ve fallen for the little tyke, I can feel it through our bond. And you can feel how I feel about it too"

“We’ve never discussed, not really, not seriously" Alec worries and Magnus moves his hand over Alec’s crinkled forehead.

“You’ll get worry lines" Magnus carefully leans over Rafe to plant a kiss on that beautiful crinkly forehead. “It wasn’t expected but we could provide him a good home, we could give him a family"

“Is this not all a little fast, he has only been with us a couple of weeks?" Alec sighs

“We don’t need an answer right this second, but look at the little angel, he is like a mini you. Just such an innocent and brilliant kid. You always said we would make good fathers, maybe now is the time"

“He is brilliant isn’t he” Alec smiles looking down at Rafe.

“Ok, let’s assume we are being insane here for a moment” Alec breathes deeply, “it needs to be what's best for him”

“You don’t think we can...”

“No we would be great as parents!” Alec interrupts, “I think. But it can’t be just because we want it. Rafe needs to want it too and I don’t want to rush him or pressure him"

“What are you suggesting?” Magnus asks inquisitively.

“Lets ask him if he is ok staying with us longer than planned and see if he reaches the conclusion that he wants us as his Dads"

Magnus nods enthusiastically.

“He has your eyes" Magnus jokes.

Alec chuckles with a faint smile and his eyes shut as he drifts off into a deep and comfortable sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's January and so like many I am taking this opportunity to change my diet and I now feed on your comments. feed me comments :) nom nom


	17. Testing the waters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang face their first fallen angel.   
Rafe has an idea to make Magnus and Alec his daddies.   
And a little blueberry appears.

**\---scene 1---**

**(Smutty/explicit)**

“It’s not like I’ve not been on a mission before Maryse, or you for that matter" Luke continues to go through his weapons chest in the bedroom.

Maryse lays in their bed, concerned but also unable to take her eyes of her partners naked body, she could watch those rippling muscles and perfect ass all day as he moves around the room getting ready.

“I know Lucian, it’s just" Maryse pauses, not able to come up with a reason that explains why she wants him to stay.

Luke understood that the war had made her hesitant about the wedding but it was still painful. Now she felt like he was avoiding her; any opportunity to go on a mission he took, he wasn’t trying to be cruel; he was just hurt and found the heat of battle carried away any worries or trouble.

“Tell me you’re not worried about me?” Luke smiles hoping to charm Maryse, “Alec’s going to be there too, will you be telling him it’s too dangerous"

Rolling her eyes Maryse sits up in their bed, covering her naked body with the sheets. “I know you can handle yourselves, it’s not the mission that worries me, it’s that I really need to talk to you and you’re avoiding me"

Luke knows there is some truth in it, when things seem to go to a serious place the past few days he circumvents it by going on mission or using his sex appeal and right now was not going to be any different.

Luke walks back over to the bed, his thick cock slapping against his thighs as he moved over to the bed. As his knelt on to the bed Luke leans into a kiss with her.

Maryse felt so distracted by the sensation of Luke’s soft lips on hers she hadn’t even felt his hand move until suddenly, and with a moan, one of Luke's thick digits slides into her.

_No_, Maryse thought, she couldn’t get distracted by what she needed to do. Before she could get another word out Luke slide a second finger insider her.

Luke smiled with pride and accomplishment when he saw Maryse fall apart from just a few fingers. Her face spoke volumes as she starts to get lost in the moment.

But something snaps in Maryse, she can’t keep putting it off or letting herself get distracted. Half way to ecstasy she blurts out “I’m pregnant”

“What" Luke is stunned and freezes, his fingers stop buried deep in Maryse.

A light bulb moment clicks in Luke’s head, “Is that why you freaked out about the wedding?”

Maryse flushes red, redder than she already was that is. “I’m sorry Lucian. It was just a lot to take in, this war, a baby on the way"

Luke’s previous frustrations and hurt wash away, only to be replaced with a quiet elation.

“Maryse, I love you”

Maryse nods, watering up slightly, “I love you too. Lucian I love you so much"

**\--- Scene 2---**

“I thought Luke was joining us" Magnus looks perplexed as he, Alec, Clary and Jace gear up.

“Yea he said he was going to sit this one out” Clary smirked.

“He did?” Magnus was surprised.

“I think Dad and Maryse have made up" Clary nods

“How do you know? They seemed a bit distant when I was visiting last night" Jace shrugged. Even though they were still so busy with the war, being based in the same massive institute building (even if they were 20 floors apart) as Maryse meant the lightwood kids had more opportunity to visit their Mom, even if it was just for a cup of coffee to catch up.

“He was supposed to meet me before so I went to check in on him and lets just say they were definitely making up” Clary pulls her hair into a pony now she has finished loading up on weapons.

“Can we not talk about you Dad doing my Mom please" Alec sighs

“Are we sure Simon has the location right?” Jace quickly changes the subject.

“No one knows the codex like Simon" Alec shrugs

“True but the codex won’t last forever, how do we know its not short circuiting or something" Jace had a point, it had become apparent since the war that codex relied on the telephone line to work and as it destabilised and the walls protecting reality crumble that the codex would start to fail and eventually there would be no more new information coming through.

One thing Alec couldn’t get out of his mind was a question; if the codex was going to fail, why where the fallen so keen they didn’t get hold of the codex.

“Let’s find out" Magnus smirks. The warm orange glow of the walls faded except the wall with the heavy metal door to the portal room, Magnus flings his hand and a portal appears in front of them.

**\--- Scene 3---**

The four of them lay on the ridge of the hill, overlooking the small town below that they knew would be the fallen's target.

Lorenzo and Underhill quickly join them, running up the hill silently with Underhill’s silencing run activated and Lorenzo floating inches over the grass.

“We’ve not missed the party I see” Lorenzo smirks.

“When have you ever missed a party” Magnus teases. With Luke not present Magnus had sent a fire message to his friend, worried that if the stone overwhelmed him they would be short of a warlock

“Good to go?” Alec looks deeply and lovingly into his husband’s eyes.

Magnus smiles back and pulls out the prototype stone, flinging it into the air slightly and catching it again.

“I’m good to go too Alec thanks for asking" Clary rolls her eyes. Really she is teasing Alec and he knows it.

The first thing they notice is the taste of the air, slightly metallic like placing a piece of copper on the tongue.

Clary squeezes Jace’s hand and he squeezes back tightly; few had yet to see a fallen. Normally by the time they had detected a fallen it had already gone, pulled back to its plane of existence by what remained of the barriers between the worlds, or, the shadowhunters that were there were dead by the time back up arrived.

The air crackles and then it appears; a dark shadowy form 10 feet tall with large spanning wings that seemed to be made of smoke.

All of them held their ears for a moment, their faces scrunched up in discomfort as they hear the fallen, as of it was whispering inside their ear, an unholy screeching sound. It raised hairs on their necks but it was tolerable.

Magnus holds onto the stone for dear life, concentrating intensely. His face seems to crumble in anguish. His ears filled with a vast white noise that penetrated every cell of his body. Groaning softly as he exerts himself mentally he starts to fold, falling to his knees. He cries out a whimpering _no_ begging and pleading for the pain to end.

“Baby?”Alec rushes over to him but his touch seems to cause him pain, as it he was being burnt.

Jace draws attention to Alec, “I think it knows we are here" he points to the far distance as the fallen changes directions from heading towards the town to towards the hill.

“Magnus I need to you to focus" Alec begs.

Lorenzo is the first to suggest leaving before the fallen reaches them.

“Magnus" Alec looks into his husband’s stained eyes and threads his fingers through Magnus's. Magnus gains some lucidity for a moment and looks deeply into Alec, asking for permission with a look, a look Alec has seen before.

“Take what you need" Alec reassures him, lifting him to his feet. Magnus grits his teeth. His face expressive of a quiet, considered and controlled fury.

His head jerks for a moment, as if he had taken a punch to the face. A loud screech can be heard in the distance as the fallen stops in its tracks, shaking like it was tied up in invisible chains that it is trying to break free from.

“Magnus" Clary worries as she reaches out to him, blood starting to trickle down his nose and from his ears.

Shaking gently Magnus stutters out “If you’re going to do something, now’s the time" each word seems to be exhausting for Magnus to get out.

Clary stands up and with all her might summons the sunlight rune. Every few seconds she stops and tries again, with a slight alteration of the symbol until she finds a frequency she can feel starting to work.

A portal appears next to the fallen but Magnus holds it steady for the moment.

“Lorenzo raise a ward, stop it portalling out" Alec pleads

“If I do that I won’t have time to collapse the wards for us to portal out if it breaks free”

“Do it" Alec orders, “Let’s see what it takes to kill one of these fuckers"

Clary then activates a second sunlight rune from her left hand, concentrating powerful beams of light from both hands directly at the fallen.

“Keep going” Magnus cries out.

Underhill and Jace quickly try to copy the adjusted rune but not quite with the same accuracy as Clary, it won’t be quite the right frequency but it might be close enough to help Clary.

The high pitch screech of the fallen shakes the ground as the light finally bursts through the shadowy form. Clary and the others don’t let up on the assault. Within moments and still screaming the form of the fallen starts to break and disintegrate as it falls from the sky. It was quite a sight, like a single sheet of paper burning up in mid air only for the embers to float gently down.

Magnus breathes a sigh of relief, falling back to his knees. Alec grabs him by his waist. “I’m ok Alexander, just need a moment"

“Clary?” Alec and Jace ask in sync.

Clary similarly falls to her knees exhausted when she gently laughs, “That was nifty!”

**\--- Scene 4---**

“Robert?” Magnus is surprised to see him unannounced. Alec had a developed a relationship with his father, there was still some awkwardness over his infidelity. But as uneasy as it was Alec still loved his father.

“Dad?” Alec joined Magnus at the entrance to their loft.

“Son" Robert politely nodded towards Magnus before giving Alec a hug.

“What are you doing here? Not that it isn’t nice to see you" Alec grasps Magnus’s hand tightly.

“I came to see my new grandson" Robert smiles.

Alec raises an eyebrow, dubious about his intentions but also not wanting Rafe to hear. Alec’s eyes open wide as he nods Magnus back to the living area to occupy Rafe before stepping out into the hallway with his father.

“Rafe isn’t our son, at least not yet. It’s kind of complicated” explains Alec

“You’re mother seems to think he is, she won’t stop gushing about him"

“I mean we want him to be, but we also want Rafe to have time with us first. We want to give him a choice, a chance, to think for himself about what he wants", Alec pauses, “Can you give him space? I just mean don’t introduce yourself as his gramps just yet"

Confused but wanting to respect Alec wishes he nods, “Sure"

As they step back into the apartment Robert cautiously walks over to Rafe who is playing with Magnus.

“Hello Rafe" Robert gently approaches them.

“Hello?” Rafe looks at Alec confused, _who is this person?_ He thinks.

“I’m Alec’s dad"

“Oh" Rafe smiles, instantly disarmed by knowing there is a connection to one of his unofficial dads, “Hi"

“Alec is taller than you" Rafe ponders out loud. This elicits a chuckle from Robert, “Yes he is, he’s very tall"

“Magnus?” Rafe asks inquisitively, “How come I’ve not met your mommy or daddy?”

Alec nearly chokes on the air, embarrassed by the awkward question.

Magnus crouches next to Rafe who is still playing with the toys, brushing his hair out of his eyes Magnus warmly smiles, “I lost them sweetie"

Rafe lips pout and his face scrunches up, “like my mommy and daddy?”

“Yes sweetheart”

**\--- Scene 5---**

“So?” Alec asks as he passed his father a whisky

“So?” Robert questions back

“So what did you want to talk to me about?” Alec asks pointedly as Magnus emerges from Rafe’s room having put him to bed.

“What makes you think there is something I wanted to talk about, I was near by and I wanted to meet my grandson" Robert huffs back.

“I know you dad" Alec rolls his eyes and he conjures a whisky for him and Magnus who joins them at the kitchen island. “I’m sure the main reason you came was to see Rafe, but I can tell when there is also something on your mind"

“Why am I not on the front lines?" Robert blurts out unintentionally harshly.

“You want like a list?” Alec scoffs

“I know things have not been the same since Annemarie” Robert tales a sharp breath, he knows his affair hurt Alec greatly.

“You think your position is because I’m angry or something?” a surprised Alec shakes his head.

“Well if it’s not then what?”

“I need you organising outreach programmes because we need every ally we can get, and because I need Max out of the line of fire" Alec takes a gulp from his whiskey, “too many children have lost so much already"

Magnus dips his head, he understands perfectly.

“You mean Rafe?” Robert rubs his head as if it’s all just clicked.

“We are at breaking point with orphaned children. And I’ve seen what it does to them, when Rafe has nightmares... I wish I could take them away and I never will. He will always remember seeing his parents die" Alec rubs his head, “I can’t undo that dad”

Robert squeezes his hand across the worktop, “You can’t undo the horrors that poor kid has seen. But you can provide him a loving home, like me and your mother provided Jace. You could provide him a family again"

**\---Scene 6---**

“Aline" Alec embraces her and she squeezes tightly in return.

“How are you?” Alec asks fondly.

“Oh you know, today hasn’t been her best day. But we muddle through. Helen is on duty at the moment, sorry”

Alec takes off his black leather jacket and places it on the coat hooks on the wall by the front door.

Walking into the living room Alec sits down at the table at one side of the room. It had become quite the routine.

“What are we working on today?” Alec asks as he starts to pick up pieces of the jigsaw puzzle askew on the table top.

A frazzled looking Jia lifts her head and stares at Alec but doesn’t answer at first. Dipping her head back to the half completed puzzle she plainly and quietly answers “sheep" and after a few more moments of silence she continues, “in a field"

After an hour or so Jia announces she is tired and heads to have an afternoon nap. After helping her to the bedroom Aline comes out to find Alec has already poured her and himself a coffee; they really had fallen into a routine.

“You’re right, it’s not a good day today" Alec sighs

“You kidding me? She was calmer with you here, still very despondent, but much calmer. She always is when you visit"

“And you?”

Aline takes a deep breath, “It's hard, seeing her like that. But sometimes, she looks at me and she’s fine! She's fine” Aline smiles. Those moments when her mother is her mother again gave her hope, gave her faith, that the mother she knew was still there under all that trauma.

**\--- Scene 7---**

“Hey little buddy" Jace grabs Rafe and spins him round, eliciting the most adorable childish giggle from Rafe, “Are we going to the park or what?”

Jace rather enjoyed the role of Uncle and Rafe had quickly learned to adore him, probably because he always brought candy with him. Alec had accused Jace of trying to get him addicted to sugar. Magnus had found the whole thing rather amusing, Jace the health conscious muscular Nephilim who spoiled Rafe with treats.

Jace was on babysitting duty, Magnus was busy working with other warlocks to perfect the stones so that it wouldn’t be so overwhelming and Alec would be at Jia's for a few hours.

“Can’t we stay inside and cook hot dogs?” Rafe asks with a cheeky grin.

“Sure buddy” Jace places him back down on the floor and they head to the kitchen.

As Jace rummages through the kitchen cupboards to get the necessary ingredients Rafe jumps up on the stool by the kitchen island.

“How did Alec and Magnus become husbands?”

“Well they got married little guy" Jace explains

“How?”

“They had a wedding" Jace laughs softly as he starts making the hot dogs, “It was very beautiful"

“No I mean, how did they decide to get married?”

“Magnus proposed to Alec, that’s when you ask someone to if they want to get married” Jace raises an eye brow at the inquisitive Rafe

“With a ring?”

Jace nods, curious as to why Rafe was asking so many questions.

“and then they were a family" Rafe thinks aloud.

**\---Scene 8---**

Alec waved the door open with a flick of a wrist, giggling as he held Magnus hand. Jace had been more than happy to babysit for a couple of hours longer when the couple decided to meet up before going home to get a bite to eat at a restaurant, with everything that had been happening it was hard to find time as a couple to go on dates.

“Why is my kitchen covered in cereal?” Magnus’s voice trails up at the sight of the kitchen floor and counter covered in cereal. Jace was trying to sweep up but Rafe held an upturned and empty cereal box above the counter. They both froze upon seeing the couple.

“Out" Rafe pouts.

“I’m so sorry he made me buy loads of boxes of cereal at the store and then just started emptying them everywhere" Jace flashes red with embarrassment, “Just give me a few minutes to clear up it will be good as new"

“Out" Rafe repeats

Alec and Magnus head to the couch, amused and unsure what on earth Rafe was doing.

A sound like a rain stick but with a crashing force comes from the kitchen, “Rafe stop" they hear Jace beg much to their own amused laughter. Rafe was just pouring cereal all over the counter again.

“Should we?” Alec asks, raising his wrist to magically clear up.

“No this is far too funny" Magnus chuckles, lowering Alec’s hand.

“Nope not this one, why are there so many pandas?” Rafe’s voice can be heard saying.

“What on earth is he doing?” Alec cackles

“I give up" Jace sighs, entering the room.

“What happened today?” Magnus gestures to the seat next to them

Jace let’s out a groan and falls to the seat with a thump and plonks his feet on the coffee table.

Alec raises his hand and a blue flash later Jace’s feet are magically swiped off the coffee table, “Feet" Alec sternly says.

“Well he was insistent on going to the grocery store, I thought he wanted me to buy candy, he ran all up and down the store. When he hit the cereal he was demanding I buy like 30 boxes of something or other" Jace rolls his eyes.

“And you brought them? 30 boxes?" Alec shakes his head.

“You trying saying no to that face"

Magnus nods in quiet agreement.

“That’s the one" they hear Rafe call out.

Alec heads towards the kitchen and sees Rafe quickly stuff something into his pocket, looking at an empty box of off brand cereal a few feet away he notices some sort of plastic animal themed toys advertised on the box but wasn’t close enough to see what it was.

“Rafe, you didn’t make Uncle Jace buy 30 boxes of cereal just for the toy did you?” Alec shakes his head disapprovingly.

“Out out out, you’re not allowed to see yet" Rafe shouts.

“Ok I’ll go back to the living room but you need to clean up the mess you’ve made young man" Alec says sternly.

When Alec gets back in the living room he sees Magnus had already made a round of drinks for the 3 of them.

After 10 minutes chatting about their day Rafe sheepishly comes and joins them.

“All tidy in there?” Magnus hides his amused smile, barely.

Rafe nods. He walks up to Alec and Magnus and fishes for something in his pocket. He places something in Magnus’s hand and then Alec’s.

Opening his hand Magnus sees a small plastic toy ring with a cartoon cat face on it. Alec holds up his with utter confusion as he also has one but with a dog, one of those breeds with floppy ears.

“Well?” Rafe asks pointedly and seriously.

“It’s umm, very nice but why did you want to give us a toy ring?” Magnus asks.

Almost offended Rafe looks at Jace, “Jace said when you wanted to be a family with Alec you had to give him a ring. I want you to be my Papis, don’t you like them?”

“Are you _proposing_?” Alec arches his brow, “For us to be your dad’s?”

Rafe nods cautiously.

Alec can’t hold back his grin or couple of years as he looks at Magnus in silent agreement before turning to Rafe, “Of course, we’d be honoured to be your fathers"

Rafe sports a massive grin and launches himself into the air to hug them both.

Jace amused and touched beams with pride watching the three of them.

“He got you a pup, pup" Magnus tease Alec at the dog on his ring

“Oh shush husband" Alec leans in to place a kiss on Magnus’s lips.

**\---Scene 8---**

“Cant sleep?”

Maia turns and shakes her head as Alec approaches. She sits on the balcony edge above the ops centre with her feet dangling above the void.

After several minutes of Silence Maia finally speaks, “I turned a girl today, she was just 16 years old”

“Oh" Alec says sympathetically, “Are you ok?”

“She was 16, motor neuron disease. Do you have any idea how rare that is at her age, and her gender" Maia sighed, “the venom cured it but now she can never go back to that life, to her family, to a normal existence”

“Not to be heartless but we knew this would happen, you knew what you were asking the council to approve" Alec places a hand on her shoulder.

“It’s what's necessary, for the greater good. Doesn’t mean I have to like it" Maia bits her lip as she holds her emotions in, “But I wonder, how much will we have to comprise by the end of this war, what will we be once it is said and done"

“On the bright side we may never find out" Alec teases to lighten the mood.

Maia allows herself to let out a chuckle, laced with regret and upset but also resolve. “True, we may dead by the morning"

“That’s the spirit" Alec smiles

A loud beeping alarm goes off in the control centre. Activating a rune Alec jumps the 3 floors down by launching himself over the balcony. Landing on his feet he rushes to the control desk where the alarm is coming from.

“What’s happening?” Alec asks the shadowhunter at the desk who is furiously punching the keyboard trying to work out what’s going on.

“Massive energy spike, off the charts”

“Where?”

“Trying to localised now sir”

“Wales... umm Aberdaron"

Alec gulps, “there's a small warlock community at Aberdaron, aligned to the fallen. Must be another fallen”

Alec takes a deep breath, “Their coming more frequently these days"

“Sir this is not consistent with the energy signature we see with the fallen"

“Satellite images, now"

Maia by this point had run down the stairs and joined them.

“What’s happening?” She asks.

“Sir, there’s some kind of disruption, I can’t get any coverage. Should we send a team in?”

“No" Alec sharply responds, “I’m not sending in anyone blind; we don’t know what is going on here"

Alec picks up the phone by the desk, “I need Wrexham on the line and get Elena Larkspear to the ops centre immediately.”

After a momentary pause someone answers the phone line, “Rhys, we've detected a possible fallen near you. I need the Wrexham institute on this, I want a drone portalled in and patched through to HQ"

A tense 10 minutes pass before Elena makes it to the ops centre.

“Still no satellite images?" Alec huffs. The shadowhunter at the desk shakes his head.

“Alec what’s happening?" Elena calls out.

“Still not exactly sure. Massive energy spike in Wales" Alec doesn’t turn away from the monitors.

“_Ok should be getting visual from the drone now"_ a Welsh accented voice states over the speakerphone.

The video feed starts coming in on one of the monitors. The small town is a pile of smoking rubble, plumes of smoke bellow into the early morning sky.

“That town is levelled” Maia points out, stunned. “What could have caused that?”

“I don’t know but I’d love to find out" Alec ponders, “Rhys can you get us image at street level and scan for demonic life readings"

The drone descends towards the town and for a few moments the video feed is nothing but mottled grey from the smoke.

The picture starts to clear and all there seems to be is piles of rubble of various sizes with smoke and dust rising from the tops of them.

_“No demonic readings, there are no demons here but there could be warlocks"_

“I thought those sensors could pick up warlocks" Maia asks.

“Only strong ones whose power is detectable. Sensors don’t pick up the weaker warlocks; not strong enough demon blood" Elena responds.

“Rhys can you activate heat vision. Let’s see if there is _any_ life there" Alec asks.

The screen changes to display a mixture of reds and blues and shades in between. The outlines of the various smouldering fires show but there is no person shaped signatures, just blobs from the fires.

“Ok, get your team ready to portal in, you’ll be joined by a team from HQ" Alec says down the speaker phone.

_“On it Consul, well be ready in the next 10 minutes"_

“Maia, can I ask a huge favour of you, can you look after Rafe for a bit? He’s with Magnus right now but I think I’m going to need Magnus with me"

“You’re not going are you?” Elena despairs, yet again Alec being active in the field.

“There’s no evidence of any survivors, I’ll be fine. Besides, something decimated that outpost; I’d like to know what could do that in a matter of minutes" Alec smiles, almost giddy.

“I don’t mind looking after Rafe for a bit, I’ll send Magnus down your way"

**\--- Scene 9---**

Magnus stands above a mound of rubble; wondering solemnly what he was standing upon, was it a house, or a school, maybe a store?

“You ok baby?” Alec climbs the wreckage, his hands black with dirt.

“You know I knew Siân? Not well, but our paths crossed” Magnus continues to sweep his hands over the wreckage, his magic like extensions of his arms.

“She was the leader here?”

Magnus nods.

“She picked a side Magnus"

“Yeah” Magnus lets out a deep puff of air. Some followed the fallen out of fear, others with promise of great power, some because they just didn’t see any point in fighting the inevitable. Magnus feels a pang of regret, that here lies warlocks, his people, who he had failed to save. Failed to save from what ever did this but more deeply than that Magnus felt pain that he failed to save them from the influence from the fallen.

“Well there seems to be something hallucinogenic in this burning rubble" Magnus rolls his eyes.

Confused Alec can’t help but pull a face, “You can sense that? Magically?” assuming Magnus meant there were drugs in what was once a building.

“I’m assuming that since I just saw Maia and Underhill chasing our son in the middle of an operation" Magnus pointed out into the distance.

Looking into the distance Alec sees them too, “What the fuck"

They climb down the rubble and run towards where the last saw them, coming across a very worried and confused Maia and Underhill Alec flashes an almost parental scold.

“What...” Magnus tries to begin before they jump in to explain.

“I took my eye off him for one second, we went to get ice cream and when I turned round he had portalled here" Maia almost seems ready to cry, which was most unusual for her, but Rafe really was testing her limits.

“I tracked him for Maia and we portalled over" Underhill explained holding the toy car Rafe had been playing with when Magnus had left him with Maia.

“How did he know to come here?” Alec questioned out loud.

A guilty Magnus tries to slip away but catches his husband’s glaring eye, “I may have told him where we were going; he kept asking and how long we would be"

Alec rubs his forehead frustrated by the situation

“This way" Underhill runs, clutching a small toy car with his tracking rune glowing. The others follow at pace.

Finally they see Rafe pulling at large chunks of rubble.

“RAFE" Alec’s voices booms.

Rafe spins on the spot, eyes wide and body tense, “Papi"

“Don’t you Papi me!” Alec marches over, crouching down to Rafe’s eye level, “You don’t run off, you gave Auntie Maia a fright"

“Listen...” Rafe starts.

“No young man, there is no excuse, you are so grounded” Alec continues firmly.

“No I mean it, listen" Rafe points and run backs to where he was previously moving pieces of rubble, and continues taking pieces and throwing them to aside, “I was on my way to find you and I heard them"

Maia shushes everyone before twitching her ears ever so slightly, her keen werewolf senses kicking him, “Is that crying?”

Magnus starts to magically lift the rubble up into the air where they hover like a mini version of an android belt.

“Get back" Alec barks at Rafe, Maia wraps her arms around him.

As the rubble continues to rise the sound of crying grows stronger until Alec sees something small and precious. Climbing down he emerges moments later with a small warlock child, couldn’t be more than 2 or 3 years old, and covered in dust and crying loudly. Magnus gently let the rocks and rubble fall back down now Alec and the child were clear, softly the rubble fell like they were feathers.

“Underhill get the medic" Alec orders, Andrew nods and runs off. By the angel who knows how long that child had been stuck there, seemingly the only survivor.

Magnus smirks slightly as he looks down on the child, wiping the dirt off their face. He was amused by the young warlock’s features, blue skin like Catarina, tiny horns like Ragnor.

“Hi there little blueberry” Magnus smiles widely, cooing over the adorable child.

They never stopped crying, and Magnus and Alec exchange a look knowing they must had been buried alive for the past hour.

“Hey there little guy" Maia looks over the toddler.

“How do you know they’re a boy?” Rafe asks.

“Wolf senses. He smells like a boy!” Maia teases.

“Can I hold him?” Rafe pleads.

“Just until the medic gets here" Alec lowers himself next to Rafe, the screaming cries piercing his ear drums.

As soon as the little warlock is in Rafe’s arms he stops crying.

“Huh" Magnus grunts in surprise.

**\---Scene 10---**

**(Smutty/explicit)**

“I know what you’re thinking" Alec brushes his hand against Magnus’s cheek.

“Bond?” Magnus shrugs, “You feel it too"

“I do, it’s fast though” Alec sighs in reference to their shared feelings towards the beautiful blue child, “Rafe seems completely taken by him too"

“You know we never discussed how many kids we wanted”

“I never thought I’d be in a same sex relationship with 2 _unplanned_ kids” Alec jests, running his fingers through Magnus’s hair as Magnus buries himself into Alec’s chest on the couch.

“You can’t plan falling in love, and I do you know, I think I love those boys utterly and completely” Magnus melts, “but you didn’t answer my question, how many kids do you want?”

“17” Alec chuckles.

“Fuck off we are not having 17,000 kids" Magnus laughs.

“I don’t know. Right now this feels right, who knows when or if there is a next time"

“You think we should un-ground Rafe in the morning"

Alec sighs, “I said he was grounded for a week, I can’t just make it 3 days. What kind if example would I be setting"

“Always so firm Alexander” Magnus smirks

“Don’t flirt with me"

“So authoritative, I like seeing you in your daddy mode”

“I told you…”

Magnus moans as he feels Alexander’s fingers slide down into his pants and grab him by the base of his cock; a cock quickly thickening.

“Don’t flirt with me" Alec places his lips to the nape of Magnus’s neck, pressing soft kisses everywhere.

A loud knock comes from the front door.

“Urgh" Alec whines, “Who is it" he shouts as he runs his finger tips along Magnus’s shaft.

_“Hartthorn sir" _a voice calls through the door, he was one of the team members at Aberdaron.

“Coming" Alec calls out.

Alec runs his index finger in circles along the slit of Magnus’s dick, slick with precum.

Alec shifts them both and stands up. Placing the finger tip coated in precum to his lips he suckles on the wet finger, “mmm delicious but hold that thought"

Magnus lies back in the couch as Alec goes to the door and let’s the dark haired shadowhunter in.

“Well?” Alec looks pointedly at the man in front of him.

“The trace energy signatures, well they match something we previously have on record"

“What?” Magnus’s ears prick up.

“Nearly identical, to an incident recorded by sensors in Alicante, at Lake Lyn... the day Valentine Morgenstern died”

“Are you suggesting...?” Alec stutters

“Yes sir, I think this was an Angel"

“Guess they were finally able to break through the barriers" Magnus smiles with relief, maybe this could turn the war or at least give them a chance.

“I want a full briefing on your findings ready for 9am tomorrow"

“Why 9 am?” Magnus asks.

“Because the council meets at 9.30, and you Hartthorn will be briefing them"

“Thank you Consul, I’ll get right on it" the shadowhunters eyes lit up with excitement as he runs off.

Closing the door Alec walks back to Magnus who is still lying on the couch. Magnus smirks and cockily places his hands behind his head and flashes a sultry look to Alec, whose hunger in his eyes is well recognised.

Magnus lets out a gasp, when instead of wrapping his hand around his cock like he expected, Alec in one fluid motion frees Magnus’s cock from his pants, falls to his knees and takes the length into his mouth.

Magnus takes one of his hands and threads it through Alec’s hair, guiding his head, not that that was necessary.

_Knock knock_

“Oh fo..foc...ake" Alec muffled with his lips stretched obscenely around Magnus cock.

Alec pulls of Magnus with a pop and heads to the door. Magnus, ever shameless, doesn’t bother to tuck his erection back into his pants. Who ever was disturbing them would be made well aware what they were disturbing.

“Simon? What?" Alec barks.

“Sorry to disturb” he hides his half smile upon noticing Magnus, “but it’s important. I was going through the codex and your mystery attack in Wales? You won’t believe this but it was an..”

“Angel, yeah I know"

“Hartthorn figured it out” Magnus adds

“I just spent 6 hours going over the codex and you knew?” Simon huffs

“I just found out, now not to be rude but would you mind? I was kind of in the middle of...my husband" Alec rolls his eyes.

“Sure, sorry”

As Alec starts to close the door Simon hurriedly adds, “You guys know there is going to be another attack in 17 hours right?”

Alec freezes; he sure as hell didn’t know there would be another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keep those comments coming, I love hearing from your thoughts :)


	18. Moscow is breached

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maryse and Luke get married.   
The first major breach occurs and Alec raises an army against the fallen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it has taken a while- I'm finding it is taking me about 2 weeks per chapter at the moment as I'm nearing the end and having to make sure everything fits right

**\--- Scene 1---**

“Oh it’s beautiful” Maryse sheds a tear as she looks over the dress, “Thank you Magnus"

“You’re welcome, _mom_” Magnus grins as she holds the dress against her whilst looking in the mirror.

“Don’t age me" Maryse laughs, “I still find it hard to wrap my brain around the fact my kids are in their 20s without adding one whose 800”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to portal us somewhere a bit more, exotic?”

“With everything that’s happening, a small affair suits me just fine. Besides it’s safer if we hold the wedding within these wards than on a beach in Bali" Maryse smiles, any thoughts of having a lavish wedding were fleeting and the truth of the matter was she was just so happy to get married to Luke she almost didn’t care where she got married.

“At least let me decorate the hall, it’s so drab and _shadowhuntery_”

“That would be lovely, thank you"

Magnus is about to open the door when they hear a knock.

“Sweetheart" Magnus beams when he sees Alec and the kids. Maryse quickly hides the wedding dress, not wanting anyone else to see it until she walks down the aisle.

When Maryse turns round to see Alec she falls in love with the image of them; Alec wearing a suit, Rafe holding his hand in an elaborate outfit that was clearly Magnus inspired, and their newest addition to the family in suit that matched Alec’s.

“Abuelita" Rafe let’s go of Alec’s hand and runs to Maryse.

“Neito" Maryse swoops Rafe into her arms and swings him round in the air causing him giggle profusely.

“Ooo, you got a new rune little man" Maryse grins widely as she traces her fingers over his deflect rune, place on his neck in the same place as Alec, “Just like Papi eh?”

“Yesterday we woke up to find he had added a new rune...in his sleep" Alec shrugs.

Maryse cocks an eyebrow, she knew that they could draw runes through sheer will power, and Clary and Izzy’s Parabatai rune had come about subconsciously but she hadn’t heard of anyone drawing runes in their sleep.

“he hasn’t copied any of _my_ runes" Magnus rolls his eyes.

“And how’s my other fella" Maryse places a kiss of the little warlock’s head and he makes a gurgley laugh, “have we a name yet?”

“Not yet" Alec shrugs

“Well I think Blueberry works" Magnus laughs as he squeezes Rafe’s shoulders in a fatherly embrace.

“Nope that’s not it, Papi" Rafe looks at his brother with an intense gaze, as if he was trying to solve the puzzle of his name.

“What about Blue?” Magnus smiles.

“Could work?” Alec moves his head side to side, contemplating it.

“Nope, next" Rafe declares to the amusement of everyone in the room.

“Oh are you still ok to take Max tonight?” Maryse remembers, “Robert is still on an assignment"

“Sure thing" Alec nods unsure if Maryse would even want Robert there had he been available.

**\--- Scene 2---**

“You know traditionally I’m supposed to walk you down the aisle right" Luke smiles at Clary

“Well maybe you’ll still get to do that, besides what kind of best woman would I be if I didn’t force you to make an entrance"

“Thanks kiddo" Luke squeezes her hands gently.

The venue is small and there is only a hand full of guests but he smiles fondly when he reaches the front of the converted briefing room and sees his friends, Maia and Bat, Jace, Izzy, Alec and Magnus. A moment of slight panic creeps up when he sees Simon isn’t there.

A woman he doesn’t recognise walks in and flashes Luke a wink. Alec turns round to face her “It’s ok, you don’t need the glamour, the silent brother performing the ceremony knows the score"

Twisting her arm until the forearm is viable her eyes glow as does a rune, the facade drops as Cleophas gives a quick shake as if she was shrugging off snow having come in from a storm.

“Cleophas!” Luke wraps his arms around his sister, “How?”

“Simon, gave me the heads up and spoke to Alec about smuggling me into the institute”

“You wouldn’t need to sneak in if you accepted the pardon" Luke kisses his sister fondly on the forehead. He had hoped she would have taken the deal that had been offered to many, including Maryse but she had chosen to stay in isolation.

“Let today just be about today brother. I’m so happy you found someone again" Cleophas places a hand on his shoulder before taking a seat

“I’m here" Simon shouts as he runs round the corner joined by two others.

“What, Ollie? Sam?” Luke looks floored, “What are you doing here?”

“As if we would miss your wedding?” Ollie smirks

“It’s dangerous" Luke splutters

“A wedding is dangerous? Relax Garroway, I’m not jumping back into the shadow world, just attending an old friends wedding so shut up and get married" Ollie says with a playful twinkle in her eyes.

Luke flashes a disapproving look at Simon who shrugs in response before sitting down next to Izzy.

The silent brother comes in from the side door. “_are we ready to begin?” _his voice echoes

Sam looks at Ollie and whispers “his lips didn’t move right?”, Ollie shushes her with a smile, acting like this was not something new for her either.

As music starts Maryse walks down the aisle, her arm wrapped around Max as he walks her down the aisle, his way of showing her his blessing and joy that his mother found happiness with Luke.

Maryse dress had been simple yet elegant, there was no texture or over embellishments, and it showed off her curves.

Alec and Magnus fingers are intertwined as they watch the couple make their vows, Rafe sitting on Magnus’s right and burying himself in his father’s side as their little blueberry starts to nod off in Alec’s arms.

“A rune on the hand, a rune on the heart, a union is born" the silent brother announces, and with that Luke and Maryse kiss to the cheers and applauds of the witnesses.

**\---Scene 3---**

Magnus wraps his hands around Alec’s waist and kisses the back of his neck as Alec stirs the Bolognese is the pot. Magnus loved that Alec still enjoyed cooking the mundane way; at least when he had the time.

“Taste" Alec says in a low sultry voice.

Taking the wooden spoon into his mouth Magnus savours the flavour on his tongue, “Mmm”

“Where are the kids?”

“Playing with Max in Rafe’s room" Magnus buries his nose in the nape of Alec’s neck.

“No” they heard Rafe shout.

Running to his bedroom they see their newest addition laughing his head off whilst Max and Rafe seem to argue.

“It’s a great name Rafe" Max tries to convince him.

“No, Maxie!” Rafe responds deadpan serious.

“Ahem" Alec coughs as the 3 boys look at the married couple.

“Alec" Max blushes.

“What’s going on here?” Magnus asks with a stern parental face.

“He thinks we should call him Maxwell" Rafe points at his Uncle.

“Our little blue ringed octopus?” Magnus smiles as he sweeps the child into his arms.

“It’s a good name" Max shrugs, embarrassed.

Alec chokes on the air, “It is, but I’m just not sure it’s the right name for our son Max"

“Yea, his name is Maxie" Rafe shouts back playfully.

“We haven't decided on a name yet Rafe" Magnus smiles.

“No Papi, it’s his name! Watch!” Rafe insists going up to them, “Maxie, Maxie, Maxie" Rafe repeats eliciting almost hysterical laughter from the tiny warlock as he claps his hands enthusiastically.

“Maxie?” Magnus raises an eye brow towards Alec.

“It _does_ work actually” Alec says full of surprise.

“No Maxie is too...cute" Max rolls his eyes, knowing he has lost the argument.

“I think it’s just right, don’t you Maxie?” Alec grins as he pushes his head up against the forehead of his little boy as he is embraced in Magnus’s arms.

“Maxie" Magnus beams in agreement.

**\---Scene 4---**

They run through the abandoned streets, a blur of black and fiery orange as Clary and Izzy speed at inhuman speed with their runes active.

A demon jumps out from the roof top and in one fluid motion Izzy stomps her Adamas foot on the ground and pierces the demons skull with a brutal kick. The demon disintegrates into glowing ash.

Clary’s eyes glow and the air in front of them sparks but nothing happens, Clary pulls out her stele and draws the portal rune in the air but nothing changes.

“They’ve raised wards" Clary sighs, almost breathless from the running.

“We need to get to the institute" Izzy activates her and Clary’s stamina rune as they continue at pace through the streets of Dortmund. Izzy had always wanted to visit Germany, they had arrived to support the local Institute recruit a local Seelie tribe but soon found them surrounded by demons that swiftly killed the tribe shortly after they arrived.

“We're near" Clary points out when she suddenly stops, “the air"

Izzy looks confused for only a moment before sniffing it and practically tasting the copper like scent in the air.

“Shit" Izzy’s eyes widen.

They continue to run, wishing they had a stone on them but they were still in production and neither of them had really been trained to use them anyways.

A blast of air knocks them to their feet and the air growls and grumbles.

Turning the final corner towards the Dortmund Institute Clary’s eyes widen when she sees the fallen amongst the rubble where the Institute once stood.

“You never said they were this...massive" Izzy looks on in shock at the 30 foot hazy apparition.

“The last one wasn’t this big" Clary is confused, this one was much bigger and didn’t have wings like the last one did.

“One fallen? We can take it" Izzy says with no confidence in her voice.

“Without a stone I’m not sure we could but unless we find a way to pull these wards down guess we are going to have to find out"

Threading her fingers through her Parabatai’s, as if to focus all their power and concentration Izzy and Clary both shoot powerful beams of light towards the shadowy figure.

The gargantuan being shrieks as it is injured but its hands rise and a shockwave knocks the two Parabatai to their feet.

Turning to look back Izzy’s eye widen in fear as she sees the fallen joined by 4 others, 2 winged and 2 others that are almost human in size and shape; all 4 smaller than the large 30 foot one.

“Clary we need to go" Izzy begs as Clary seems frozen.

The sound of Izzy calling her seems almost distant as Clary, splayed out on the ground on her elbows, sees the image of a rune in front of her. Reaching out with her mind she sees with perfect clarity and projects it with her eyes glowing brilliantly.

Izzy falls backwards in shock as brilliant white and glowing wings erupts from Clary

Seeing the fallen approaching them in the distance Clary wraps her arms around Izzy.

The dust and debris around them violently flies away from them as Clary starts to move her wings and like a bullet she launches into the air.

The two winged fallen give chase.

Clary focuses and speeding as fast as she can, trying to outpace them. She can feel Izzy’s heart racing through their bond, her arms start to ache with the weight but disappears quickly when her strength rune glows.

“You’re flying" Izzy calls out dumbstruck.

“I’m as surprised as you" Clary calls out as she continues to zoom through the air.

Izzy twists her head and gives Clary a knowing nod when she feels a tingle starting from her head which swiftly move down to her feet, “The wards" she calls out. Clary felt it too; they’ve passed the ward barrier.

Clary’s eye glow once more and a portal appears, swallowing them whole in the blink of an eye as they fly through.

**\--- Scene 5---**

“Alec there’s no pattern" Lydia rolls her eyes.

“Yeah, maybe you’re right" Alec huffs, looking at the map of angelic attacks on the large screen.

“Just, why these outposts? 18 attacks none of them particularly of strategic importance” Alec sighs and rubs his head, “why not attack one if the larger bases, it’s almost like _warning shots_”

“You’re going to drive yourself insane trying to work out a pattern that isn’t there. And if there is a pattern we have analytical teams looking at that already. You don’t have to take on everything"

“I know it’s just bugging me. Dad used to give us puzzles and riddles when we were young, hated when I had one I couldn’t solve" Alec shakes his head and chuckles as he turns off the monitor.

“Consul?” A unsure voice calls out from the other side of the ops centre

“Yes?”

“Huge energy spike in Dortmund, Germany” The shadowhunter says wide eyed.

“Another angelic attack?” Lydia asks

“No, energy signature is distinctively fallen"

Alec calls down to the standby team, “Fallen attack in Dortmund, we’ll try and get you satellite feed"

Alec had started to ensure there were always at least 2 teams on standby at any time, ready to portal at a moments notice.

“Sir, we can’t seem to portal in" the voice responds.

“Wards" Lydia grits her teeth, frustrated.

“I want you to try portalling to Hagen, let’s see how far those wards extend" Alec suggests portalling to the neighbouring city.

“Sir I’ve got a live satellite feed"

Alec looks at the screen, the Institute there is in ruins and a giant figure stands in its burning footprint.

“What’s that?” Lydia points to a white blur zooming across the screen followed by 2 fast moving shadowy forms.

“Angel?” Alec ponders

**\---Scene 6---**

Clary grimaces as she watches Izzy bite into the raw steak, “That’s disgusting"

“I know" Izzy mumbles with a mouth full, “But it’s so good at the same time.”

Sitting on the roof top Clary takes the night sky in above HQ.

A loud growl comes from the air as a wolf with grey feathery wings swoops above them and quickly lands.

Clary gets her backpack and pulls a change of clothes. The winged wolf transforms and the thick fur melts into soft brown skin. The wings melt back into her back and Clary throws a now nude Maia the clothes.

“Oh my god that was amazing” Maia shouts, exhilarated as she puts the clothes on, the t-shirt covering the alliance rune.

Izzy’s eyes glow and their bond and the alliance rune fades. Pulling a disgusted face Izzy spits out the half chewed chunk of stake, “My stomach doesn’t feel so great now"

“I told you not to eat it" Clary teases her Parabatai.

“But it smelt and tasted so good at the time I couldn’t help myself"

Maia laughs at the admission.

“So when can you start training the packs?” Maia enthusiastically says.

“Hmm not that simple" Izzy hums, “Only 1 in 5 Nephilim seem to be able to wield the rune"

“So far" Clary adds, “It could be that with more practice they can, I mean, not everyone can sing right"

“Not well" Izzy rolls her eyes and nods to Clary.

Clary feigns being insulted.

“I’ve heard you sing, she isn’t wrong" Maia laughs.

“Anyway, even if 1 in 5 Nephilim can, the alliance rune doesn’t mean we get the full gifts of each of our people” Izzy smiles

“Unless you’re Alec and Magnus, the wedded union rune does amazing things” Clary wraps an arm around her Parabatai, “You’re the first wolf so far that’s being able to fly"

“Alec does seem very good at Magic, he must have got a lot of warlock in him" Maia winks at the two as the both burst out in fits of laughter.

“Dude, that’s my brother!” Izzy shakes her face like she had just eaten a raw lemon.

“What about the others?” Maia asks, putting on her council delegate serious face for a moment.

“None of the Warlocks have been able to use the wing rune, a couple of the vampires have and the seelies seem to be on par with us but they do have Nephilim blood in them too so that could be part of it” Clary states.

“Oh you should have seen Meliorns wings though, like a giant bee’s, 4 of them, it was quite impressive" Izzy says dreaming if them.

“They didn’t get feathers?” Maia is shocked.

“No, in fact I was surprised you did, the vampires, their wings are very bat like" Izzy shrugs.

**\--- Scene 7---**

Jace walks in to the study, with a stern but concerned look on his face.

“Simon?”

Simon pulls his face out of his notes and looks at Jace confused, “Jace?”

“I’m here on official business"

“Hu?”, Simon scratches his head, “Does Alec or the council need...”

“Official brother business" Jace leans against the door frame and points to the clock.

Simon’s mouth drops, “Shit, Izzy!”

Jace rolls his eyes, “You really got that involved in work you lost track of time or did you know Izzy was cooking"

“I think I’m on to something big, I totally didn’t see how late it had gotten. Oh and I worked out why those fallen were all different- they’re fallen angels, so like angels it would make sense there are different types; Seraphim, Cherubim, Dominions...” Simon says as he gets out of the chair ready to run back to Izzy’s room.

“Woah There! You made my sister upset. As her brother I’m duty bound to kick your ass" Jace smirks

“I’ve got to go, you can pound me another time" Simon says as he starts grabbing the notes and throws them haphazardly into a bag.

Jace raises an eye brow and smirks causing Simon to rolls his eyes, “You know what I meant"

“I thought you were over this whole thinking you wanting my dick" Jace teases his friend.

“Haha, very funny. If I remember correctly, in that other universe it was you who wanted my dick" Simon laughs.

Jace grabs some of the notes, “What was so important that you would miss a date night"

Looking intensely at the notes he can’t make heads or tails of it, “Why can’t the codex speak plain English?”

“Your face looks so odd when you’re thinking, thank the angel you don’t do it often" Simon jokes, snatching the paper back.

“Hey!” Jace knows he is quite smart even if he plays up the stereotypical jock attitude at times.

“Wait, shut up" Simon says noticing a passage he had marked down earlier. He grabs the rest of the notes back out and looks over his most recent notes. At vampire speed he grabs a book from the shelf and reopens the codex, comparing all four items.

“Dude, Izzy!” Jace moans in frustration.

Simon shushes him, reads over the codex . His eyes wide he gets up out of the chair clumsily and with enough force the chair falls back. “Get Alec, get everyone, Now!”

**\---Scene 8---**

The mood round the room is tense; the council having been briefed had placed their trust in Alec to lead the battle.

“How long do we have?” Clary asks nervously

“5, maybe 6 days, it takes time to move through the barriers, the larger the fish, the harder it is to swim through a net" Simon rubs his forehead.

“We are no way near ready for a major breach; we're training as many of our people as we can but...” Elena sighs, unable to finish the sentence.

“Work on the codex, we need a clearer time scale to work with, I want to know when and where they’ll breach, down to the minute and house number" Alec responds sternly. Simon nods.

“Ok, we need to be smart. I want us playing to strengths” Alec sits at the head of the table, chewing on the pen for a moment whilst thinking. “Elena is right, most of our people are still being trained, especially the refuges from Idris, they’re not battle ready yet and we have assets to protect, with the rising demon population we can’t take risks on those institutes. Elena I want numbers, we need to know how many we can commit to this campaign in the window we have"

Elena nods, “I’ll have them first thing"

“Maia, Lily, Meliorn, Magnus, I need the same; how many can be spared for the campaign"

“I’ll speak with the elders of the spiral labyrinth" Magnus places his hand on Alec’s under the table, squeezing it in both assurance for Alec and for himself.

“Clary, I want you to take everyone who is adept with the sunlight rune, work with them, they are going to be our big guns"

Alec looks at his sister, “I want you overseeing the flight programme, find out who can wield the winged rune we are going to need them in the air. I want every Nephilim, Vampire, Wolf and Seelie who can fly ready"

“Magnus, you’ve had the most experience with the stones, once you’ve spoken to the elders I want you training up those with strong enough minds to wield them" Alec gazes into his husband’s eyes for a moment, like he wants to savour them while he still can.

“Elena we are we with the... light? Bombs? What are we even calling them?”

Elena shrugs, “They’re not going to be ready in time, production resources have been directly mostly into mass producing the stones"

“Lilly, Simon, I want your fastest vampires"

Alec smiles briefly when he turns to Jace, “Jace I want you coordinating and working with our lead fighter teams. Especially the mixed teams, no one knows more about working with the alliance rune"

“Consider it done Parabatai”

“I’ve been thinking" Lydia nervously looks around the room, knowing her idea will be seen as wacky, “About how we can weaponise portals"

“The only way we can use portals in a battle situation is if we have no wards, and if we have no wards then _they_ can use portals against us too" Lily rolls her eyes.

“Clary, remember the day your father died and the wards were up in New York?” Lydia asks all the while staring directly at Lily Chen.

“Yes?” Clary nervously responds, unsure why Lydia was bringing it up.

“How did you and Jace get to Idris?”

“Portal" Clary mutters.

“Magnus, you and my ancestor invented the portal or at least the portal the warlock uses" Lydia continues, “They both do the same job as the portal rune but there is different magic behind it, like a car versus a motorcycle you get the same result but there are differences in the mechanism”

“So?” Maia asks.

“So, before, we had wards that blocked one type of portal but not the other. What if we can reverse it" Lydia huffs at the uncertainty in the room, “The fallen are of angelic origin and the portal Magnus invented are _new_. So it stands to reason that the portals the fallen uses are based on the portal rune Clary rediscovered.”

“You’re suggesting we alter the wards to block angelic portals but let the Warlocks portals through" Jace grins, loving the idea.

“We’d be reliant on the Warlocks for portals, Nephilim wouldn’t be able to generate any" Alec shakes his head.

“It would still be an edge, and any edge we could get has to be a good thing" Elena smiles at Lydia, mouthing the words _good job_. .

Lorenzo points out “We’ve expanded the wards to include angelic rune based portals as well as warlock ones. What you are suggesting is going to be a bit different; making the wards block one kind of portal but not the other”

“Can you do it?” Magnus asks with a wink.

“I’m the high warlock of Brooklyn, watch me" Lorenzo smiles at his friend.

The title makes Magnus feel low for a moment, enough that Alec through their bond picks up on it and squeezes his hand. Magnus did miss his title of high warlock.

  
**\---Scene 8---**

Rafe holds on to Alec for dear life, “Papis, don’t go" he sobs.

Maxie, ever shy, buries himself in Maryse shoulder, “daddies" he frowns.

“Shhs sweetie, me and your dad will be back before you know it" Magnus plants a kiss on Maxie and than on Rafe who lessens his grip on Alec only to grab Magnus with as much desperation.

“I don’t want you to get hurt" Rafe puts out his bottom lip, “You’re going to make it back? Right?”

Alec holds back any tears, he has 2 boys he needs to fight for, “Why wouldn’t we? Look what we have waiting us"

Magnus exchange’s a knowing look with Maryse.

Rafe finally releases his grip and still holding Maxie Maryse goes over the two of them for an embrace.

“I’ll look after them, don’t worry"

“I know you will” Alec buries his face in the side of his mother’s.

“And bring my husband back with you! You hear?”

**\---Scene 9---**

Lorenzo and Underhill sit patiently in the cold abandoned building. Underhill scans the skies with enhanced eye sight thanks to his runes.

Lorenzo notices the slight shiver in his fiancé and conjures a warm thick coat around him.

“I’m fine Lorenzo" Underhill swallows; his throat dry.

“How can you be Andrew? I’m not!”

Underhill sighs, Lorenzo is right. He reaches a hand backwards and Lorenzo moves forward and threads his fingers through Underhill's.

“Is it bad that I’m hoping one of the other outposts will be positive?”

Lorenzo smiles at that, “No”

They knew that the fallen would breach somewhere about 50 miles out from Moscow but wasn’t sure where exactly, Simon couldn’t narrow it down more than that so Alec had a handful of units base themselves at various outposts. When the fallen breach this plane the units would relay that to the battle corps.

Underhill pulls out a candy bar, something he often does when nervous, and something he had been doing a lot recently since the war started. Not that one would notice given how active and in shape he was.

“Will you still love me if I got big" Underhill jokes.

“I’d love you any size, but…” Lorenzo winks, grabbing Underhill’s crotch, “You’re already a lot to handle"

Underhill giggles before pulling a face and spitting out the candy bar onto the floor, “That tastes gross, like there’s...”

“Copper" Lorenzo freezes.

The building starts to shake like there is a small earthquake.

Running to the window they both look ahead, mouths gaping, as shadowy forms fade into existence less than a mile away and heading parallel to them. All shapes and sizes, half of them winged.

“There has to be at least 900” Underhill trembles, the sound of a howling abyss in the distance rattling in his head, “Send the signal"

Lorenzo, eyes ever wide and never taking his focus off the large horde writes his fire message.

  
**\---Scene 10---**

Hundreds of large swirling orange portals appear a mile or two behind the fallen, bringing 35,000 Nephilm and Downworlders to the mostly empty fields.

As soon as they appear a large ward rises from the earth, 10 miles in circumference at least, as the warlock raise the adapted wards.

Alec steps through, surrounded by Jace, Clary, Magnus, Lydia, Elena and 10 other Council delegates. Simon, Izzy, Lilly, Meliorn and Maia are elsewhere on the field, a sea of faces.

Elena wants to breathe a sigh of relief; there were no demons or other fallen-aligned downworlders in sight. But the hundreds of fallen in front of them is more than enough to send a chill down anyone’s spine. For the most part the fallen seem to appear, corrupt whole populations and leave the new demons to run amuck.

Clary draws the rune she used in Idris (that allowed her voice to be heard by everyone) on Alec’s collar bone.

“You’re sure they can all hear me?” Alec asks.

Clary nods.

“This is Consul Lightwood-Bane, stone bearers; start targeting the winged fallen first"

The 500 strong unit of stone bearers grip tightly and start broadcasting their interference.

Alec takes a deep breath, Magnus and Jace both keep him grounded through their wedding union and Parabatai bonds.

“Defence units, form buffers between our stone bearers and the fallen"

“Lead fighters teams, take point on the ground, Hit and run teams will act as convoys, use your vampire speed to knock enemies down but do not engage unless necessary, keep them off balance so our fighters have a chance to take them out”

Clary grabs Jace’s bicep, holding on tightly as Alec continues with the strategy.

“The packs will provide escort to our big guns. Portal groups; deploy air units. Everyone else break formation; take them out anyway you can"

Clary’s eyes flash and brilliant wings appear as she flies over to the designated portal group whilst thousands move across the field.

Lorenzo and Underhill portal to Alec’s location, Lorenzo joining Magnus’s side and taking a stone he focuses; disrupting the minds of the fallen.

Underhill gives him a knowing nod before Lorenzo provides him and Jace with a portal to join the fighter units.

The fallen are already on approach but before they can get near their winged brethren start one by one to freeze in the air as the stone bearers jam them and portals open around them.

Over 2500 Nephilim and Seelies with a small handful of Wolves and Vampires fly out of countless portals opening and closing all around them, firing shots of pure light at the fallen, by the time the other fallen can respond they have flown through the next portal; appearing and disappearing between shots fired at breakneck speed.

A single shot is not enough to kill, unless a sustained beam, but it can certainly injure the fallen badly. Where 4 or 5 of them can concentrate a blast at the same fallen it is enough to punch through as their shadowy forms turn to floating burning embers in the skies.

Clary, being especially powerful sees a larger winged fallen being blasted by a flying Seelie and with both hands and all her might sends two mighty blasts with enough force to disintegrate it in moments.

50 fallen or so must have been destroyed within the first few minutes, and though Clary sees many of their side hit in the air, they seem to be dodging the fallen attack thanks to the rapid succession of portals being opened all around them.

Clary sees a fallen right on her tail and speeds towards the portal in front of her. She passes through the portal followed by a fallen that is not far behind but on the other side of the portal as Clary emerges the portal collapses around the fallen, splitting it in half.

There’s a sense they might just be able to win, until Clary notices the number of portals around them quickly diminishing.

Back at the other end of the field, Alec’s eyes widen as he looks at his husband and Lorenzo.

“The fallen must have figured out how to erect their own wards to block our warlocks’ portals" Magnus calls out.

Knowing the ground forces is too far away to get to them in time, Alec’s communication rune glows as he calls out for the air units to retreat.

The order comes to late, without the portals they are more exposed and fallen quickly start to gain the upper hand. Clary and the others fly with all their might back to the front lines.

Seeing them nearing their own forces Alec sends further instructions, “I want our stone bearers and big guns targeting the winged fallen closing on our air units"

Powerful blasts come from the ground, barely missing Clary as she looks back to see a fallen disintegrate behind her.

The rest of the winged fallen break off to return back to their horde.

Lydia, currently using a tablet to check the field sensors calls out that they can’t get a clear reading but they’ve got to have taken out somewhere between 80 and 100 winged fallen.

It’s of little comfort to Alec, that still leaves plenty left and of the 2500 in the air units only a little over 1000 made it back to the line.

Alec looks on as the two fronts of each side on the ground are just about meeting.

“We can’t maintain these loses long" Elena points out.

“We only need them to last long enough to exhaust the fallen so they have no choice but to retreat" Alec responds, knowing that it takes them a lot of energy to resist the barriers attempts to pull them back to their plane.

Simon and Lily zip along the crowd of fallen in front of them, their blades, even if enhanced with angelic runes will only injure, and not for long if they are not being jammed by the stone bearers. Still, they run along the field with others in the hit and run teams, round the fighter units, slicing at what Simon assumes is the fallens legs.

A large 50 foot fallen approaches a cluster of fighter units and with a single blow to the ground they are burnt in hellish fire.

“Target the large one" Alec instructs his _big guns_ sunlight rune teams. Dozens of powerful beams shoot across the field, focusing on the gigantic fallen which seemingly drops to its knees, screeching out as it turns to burning tissue paper like remnants.

As the battle intensifies it becomes increasingly hard to see just exactly what is happening and Alec just has to trust that their strategy and how they've deployed their forces has given them an advantage.

Lydia points to the far side of the field as part of the fallen horde break off and attempt to get to the side, “They’re trying to outrank us"

With their portals blocked Alec redeploys those warlocks, “Portal groups, come about and engage"

Simon on the field sees a blast heading straight towards him and dodges it, the beam grazing his leg, looking back he sees a group of about 10 vampires, 8 wolves and 12 Nephilim burnt to cinders.

A 25 foot fallen which sent the blast falls to its knees as 6 powerful beams of light hit it from a multitude of angles. Simon can’t see the source of those beams except Clary flying through the air.

Magnus’s nose bleeds as he focuses on a particularly large and powerful fallen but falls to the ground as he hears it shriek and fade from view, not from any attack but just as if it evaporated into air.

Alec looks out over the field to see the remaining fallen fade from this plane of existence.

**\---Scene 11---**

Alec walks slowly back to their loft, distant and empty. Walking through the front door he sees his Mother asleep on the sofa. Checking the boys’ bedroom he sees Rafe and Maxie fast asleep and with the faint echo of a smile he gently closes the door.

Flourishing his hand a warm blanket appears over Maryse.

Grabbing a glass and the decanter full of Vodka he pours a very full glass, taking a massive gulp as he heads to the balcony, closing the glass doors behind him.

“There you are" a soft voice coos as Magnus elegantly sits in the chair next to Alec.

“Why aren’t you celebrating with everyone else?”

“I showed my face" Alec says with a deadpan expression, “Besides, it feels so, fake. Everyone trying to be happy with how the battle went"

Magnus hums in agreement, “People need to feel joyous on time a like this, to celebrate our victory, to honour those who didn’t survive it"

“This is not a victory, we achieved our objective, doesn’t make it a fucking victory, too many had to die for it" Alec gulps the remaining half full glass before topping up with decanter he brought outside with him.

“We killed over half the fallen, and the held up the rest before they could attack a city of 12 million" Magnus reminds him.

“Sure, we killed, four or five hundred fallen, and lost 1400 wolves, 1200 vampires, 600 seelies, 200 Warlocks and 2200 Nephilim” Alec bites the inside of his cheek, “And it will only get harder from here, who knows how many fallen there are waiting for the barriers to come down and to swarm all over this world"

Magnus almost rolls his eyes but the seriousness of the circumstances leads him to reconsider, “We dealt them a hell of a blow, and things are going to get a lot worse. Mourning is a luxury right now, so Husband, as much as I love you, you’re going to have to put this aside"

Alec stares at his husband, a mixture of expressions; _fuck off, I love you, I just want to cry, kiss me, I hate when you’re right, hold me and comfort me._

**\---Scene 12---**

Izzy presenting to the council’s morning briefing shows the sensor readings on the overhead screen “we’ve not had any breaches for nearly 2 weeks, if we haven't stopped them...”

“We won’t have" Alec says drily, not really intending to interrupt just adding on reflex.

Izzy’s eyes dart to Alec, “if it hasn’t stopped them our victory at Moscow has certainly caused them to regroup and reconsider their approach"

“But the demons movements are worrying” Jace adds, “They seem to be abandoning their smaller outposts and coalescing in the bigger cities, likely in response to ours and the angels attacks"

“Strength in numbers” Lily nods, “What are we doing about it?”

“The light-mines might be of benefit here, they might become worth investing in further production if we see more and more compact collectives of demons" Elena responds, “We have just finished the first 5 and more are not far behind"

A young shadowhunter, a boy no more than 15 years old with green eyes barges in to the council meeting swiftly followed by an older woman.

“Consul" the boy starts before being cut off by the older woman.

“Apologises Consul, council members, I told Kaz whatever it was could wait but he just ran off"

Alec recognised the boy, his parents had stayed in Idris, loyal to Dearborn but he left. Alec thought it was incredibly brave; to abandon ones family to do what’s right.

“It's quite alright" Alec shushes the older woman, “It must have been important for Kaz to feel so strongly he needed to interrupt a council meeting of the clave"

Alec’s pointed tone also contained curiosity, waiting to see if Kaz would indeed believe it was important enough.

Kaz, somewhat embarrassed and now nervous as to if he did the right thing holds a piece of paper out to Alec.

“It came through on our network" Kaz explains, the secure network linking the various institutes up.

Alec looks down at the paper and up at Kaz before turning his head to the council, “It’s from Dearborn"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments and let me know what you think- there is about 2, 3 chapters remaining.


	19. Facilis descensus Averni

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fallen try to corrupt Alec, will he fall?

**\---Scene 1---**

**(Smutty/Explicit)**

“mmm, stop teasing" Alec moaned as Magnus circled Alec’s rim with his slick cockhead.

Alec bent forward, his legs straddling Magnus’s body on the bed. Alec smirks when he sees his husband’s glamour fall and his beautiful cat eyes glistens in the candle light of their bedroom.

Magnus lifts his head off the bed to meet Alec’s and bring his lips to his. Alec’s lips tingle with sensation, still slightly red and puffy from the brutal face fuck Magnus had given him in the kitchen before they took matters to the bedroom.

“You remembered to use the silencing rune right?” Magnus pulled back for a moment as he contemplated how loud Alec is his; mind going to Rafe and Maxie in their bedroom. No one wants to hear their dads fuck.

Alec let’s out a laugh, his smile couldn’t be wider if he tried, “Of course I did. You’re only just thinking about this now?”

Magnus shrugs, “Takes some getting used to, having little ones in the home"

Alec lowers his head to Magnus’s neck, tracing with his tongue the endurance rune he himself had drawn on his husband, “If I had forgotten the silence rune then our boys would already be traumatised and needing shrinks” Alec teased, “after all the nasty little things you cried out when you were balls deep down my throat"

Magnus shuddered recalling the pleasure of feeling Alec’s throat pulsing and constricting around his cock while his tongue ran circles at the base of his cock, occasionally darting out to lick his heavy balls.

“Now. Stop. Teasing” Alec commanded.

Magnus grins wickedly as he stops running his cock head around the rim and pressing up against the centre the head breaches Alec with a pop.

“Urghhh" Alec moans and shudders at the intrusion. Magnus slowly slides the length into him but Alec being too impatient shifts backwards and impales himself until he feels Magnus’s well trimmed pelvis softly scratching against his sensitive taint.

“Fuck" Magnus yells, his eyes flashing into his Cat eyes and his mouth agape.

Alec takes charge and sets the pace and the force, his ass swallowing that huge warlock dick with a primal hunger.

Magnus naturally has quite the stamina but Alec bounces on his cock and his walls pulsate around him so beautifully that Magnus knows he won’t last long.

Struggling to concentrate Magnus finds he needs his Steele to activate his runes and grabs it from the bedside table.

Bringing it near his stamina rune Alec grabs his by the wrist to stop him, “No" Alec blurts out, a beautiful mess on top of him.

Magnus looks up at his husband, glistening in sweat and his soaked hair clinging to his forehead.

“I’m so close, I need to"

“No, Urgh" Alec continues his brutal pace, “Cum in me!” He begs.

“Sweetheart, you’re not even close" Magnus points out, he knows when Alec is about to shoot and knows he is not there yet.

“I don’t, mmm, I don’t care, breed me, please" his voice desperate and shaky.

Magnus wordlessly nods, unsure if he could speak at this point if he tried.

The heat under his skin builds up, he thrusts up meeting every movement Alec makes, the sensation of his cock rubbing against Alec’s prostrate is too much and grabbing Alec by the waist he yanks him down as he cums.

Alec moans, feeling the heavy load squirt deep inside him. Magnus’s hands on his waist squeeze him so delightfully. Alec reaches round to cup Magnus balls, loving the feeling of them contracting and pulsing with each shot.

After an eternity of dozens of contractions, Alec leans forward and cups his husband’s face as he plants a deep animalistic kiss on his lips.

Magnus moans into the kiss before shuddering. He sees the flicker of blue from the corner of his eyes and the tingle radiate from Alec’s finger tips through to his body.

“Alexander?” Magnus asks as Alec himself pulls back somewhat confused. “Did you just cast a spell?”

“I don't know, I" Alec seems unsure but he defiantly felt something surge through him.

“You lost control" Magnus smirks, “It happens, involuntarily casting a spell"

“What did I cast though?” Alec’s face a beautiful scrunched up mess.

“Oh" Magnus moans as the ripples in magic finally reached his groin, “I know _that_ spell"

“Magnus?” A dazed and confused Alec asks as he feels Magnus re-harden in his ass, not that it had softened _that_ much after breeding him.

“Sshhs baby, it’s harmless, it’s an old spell in my books you must had read sometime, just means I’m rock hard and full of another load is all" Magnus chuckles, “You want me to keep fucking you?”

Alec nods, “Yeah, please, please Magnus, fill my ass"

They continue to fuck for what seems like days, in every position they can think of, every time Magnus buries another load Alec’s magic goes off. Magnus struggles to maintain his composure; they should stop, but he is so worked up from Alec’s magic he can’t help but want to bury his dick in that soft warm hole again and again.

Magnus, nearing his twenty-something release manages to force his logical brain to function, “You still not cum yet”

“Haven’t I?” Alec surprisingly asks, so lost in the fucking he can hardly function.

A light bulb clicks on in Magnus’s mind, “You’re so focused on wanting me to cum in you that your magic is responding to that. Focus on you, focus on your own orgasm husband, I wanna see you shoot that load all over me.

Magnus’s and Alec’s chest are slick with buckets of pre-cum that has leaked out of Alec’s raging cock throughout the fucking.

Magnus, still buried deep in Alec lifts himself and Alec off the chair.

They soon find themselves back on the bed, Magnus laid down with Alec on top, his back against Magnus’s chest.

Magnus lifts up Alec’s legs, “Look at how fucked that ass is" Alec turns away from Magnus’s face and sees himself in the bedroom mirror, his hole slightly puffy and Magnus's thick cock sliding in and out with ease into his sloppy hole.

“Don't you wanna cum for me?” Magnus teases as Alec watches Magnus continue to pound his ass in the mirror.

Alec starts to feel close and turns his head to face Magnus. He moves his left arm under Magnus’s neck to bring their faces closer in their current position, “I. Wanna. Cum" he pleads.

Magnus kisses Alec deeply, his tongue sliding past Alec’s lips. He feels Alec’s breathing increase and deepen.

“That’s it Alexander, cum for me I wanna see you cum all over us"

When Alec pulls away Magnus’s knows he is close and looks down at his husband’s cock which is throbbing and ready to explode.

“I’m gonna" Alec struggles to get the words out before he shoots his warm load, stream and stream of hot cum flies across them, the first few shots hitting the head board but then a dozen or so landing on their faces and trailing along Alec’s chest.

Alec leans back into kissing Magnus, the cum on his face was so warm, Alec’s lips were so warm, and the traces of cum on both their lips as they kiss was too much as Magnus grunts and unloads once more into Alec.

“Don’t pull out, I don’t want to lose a drop" Alec begs but Magnus can feel himself starting to soften so pulls out and with a wave of his hand a large plug takes his cocks place.

A few drops of cum inevitably escape at the rim, Alec has been filled so beautifully.

“Look at you darling" Magnus coos, “You’re practically swollen" he says as he rubs Alec’s abdomen, slightly inflated with all the loads buried by Magnus into his gut.

Alec struggles with words and just makes grunts of approval.

**\---Scene 2---**

Alec whilst not asleep is certainly drowsy and content, his ear on Magnus’s chest as he listens to the thumping of his heart.

Magnus continues to play with Alec’s hair before finally breaking the silence, as comfortable as it had been, “I don’t want you to go"

“You know I have to" Alec sighs, running his hand up Magnus chest as they lay in bed.

“What if Dearborn is lying, what if it’s a trap, he’s a conniving jumped up prick"

“We’re taking precautions, neutral location, there will be two elite teams with me” Alec yawns

“Do you think he is telling the truth, about the angel" Magnus’s chest rises and falls dramatically, Alec’s face warm on his pecs.

“It does make sense, kind of. I mean if the Angels were to make contact with us I can see why they would make contact in Idris" Alec moves his arm to wrap round Magnus, holding him tightly. “Besides, Horace wouldn’t dare go against the wishes of an Angel. He’s coup was _because_ he thought he was following the will of the Angels. So if an angel has told him he needs to make peace I think he genuinely will. Even if that perplexes him"

It doesn’t take long for Magnus to fall asleep after the exhausting session with Alec. But Alec struggles to sleep, a million thoughts racing through his mind. Magnus’s worries were not unfounded. Finding himself unable to sleep or put these thoughts to rest, Alec careful slides out of the bed, grabbing his security card from the bedside table as he silently dresses himself.

**\---Scene 3---**

“It’s a good look for you" Raphael smiled as they walked through the grounds of the Seminary.

Maxie clung to Magnus’s chest as his father carried him, still somewhat shy around new people. Rafe on the other hand was quite happy to skip ahead of them, exploring the grounds having had to spend most of his time behind protective wards.

“What is?” Magnus asked being coy despite knowing what Raphael was getting at.

“Fatherhood" Raphael rolled his eyes.

“I practically raised you, and many others throughout the centuries" Magnus notes.

“Yeah but not like _this_, this is not like when you’ve taken a downworlder under your wings” Raphael smiles at Maxie who buries his face on his father’s shoulder.

“He is adorable, kind of reminds me of...”

“Catarina and Ragnor?” Magnus asks

Raphael smiles and with a slight titter of laughter nods his head, “Yeah, but aren't you worried about...” struggling to find a delicate way to put it he raises his hands and sweeps it across the grounds noting the various people about.

“Oh please” Magnus chuckles, “You used to know better, I made sure you could see fully through the glamour"

“Ah" Raphael nods

“Papi" Rafe calls out as he runs back to them, “Look". Holding out his palm he shows them the worm in his mucky fingers, squiggling about and causing Rafe to laugh at the sensation.

Magnus kneels to meet Rafe at eye level, “Yes, a worm, what a funny fella. Why don’t you put him back home and see what other things you can find"

Rafe nods with a cheeky grin and runs off again.

“So are you going to tell me why you’re here?” Raphael asks in a slightly pointed but warm tone. He wasn’t stupid, this isn’t his usual visit day.

“I wanted you to meet the kids" Magnus shrugs.

“Don’t be evasive” Raphael rolls his eyes, “You raised me, it goes both ways you know, I can read _you_ like a book too"

“In all capital letters?” Magnus chuckles, again trying to evade the question.

“Well, I’m not quite as good at it as you. But I know when something is amiss"

“Alec’s on a mission"

“That’s not it" Raphael smirks

“Excuse me?" Magnus asks defensively raises his brow.

“You were going to say you were worried and that’s why you’re here, for a distraction right?” Raphael continues before Magnus can answer, “except that's an excuse isn’t it. A cover in case I asked why you were here?”

“I _am_ worried about my husband" Magnus scolds him.

“Oh I’m sure you are, but Alec has been on missions before. There’s more too it. You brought the boys so, what, you’re worried that there might not be a next visit for them to meet me or me them?” Raphael looks directly at Magnus.

“I taught you too well" Magnus sighs.

“What’s happening Magnus, really?”

“There’s a war" Magnus says, his throat dry as he chokes out the words.

“Isn’t there always?”

“Not like this” Magnus shakes his head, “We just had a major victory"

“But?” Raphael prompts Magnus further.

“I don’t see how we can win, in the long term. There’s no winning this. And with Alec...”

“You have to be strong?”

Magnus groans at how well Raphael is reading him, “He has the weight of the world on his shoulders, and I’m the only one he really has to lean on"

Raphael smiles as he places his hand on Magnus’s cheek affectionately, reassuring his somewhat father, “He is your husband, you can lean on him as he leans on you. You don’t need to be strong all the time. But if it helps, until Alec gets back... tell me everything"

**\---Scene 4---**

“Horace?” Alec raises a brow in surprise as he sees Dearborn walk through a portal, half expecting him to arrive in a shifty looking car. After all Horace had been very vocal about rejecting the changes that had occurred since Clary’s return, new runes and all.

“I have to say, I see why you like this rune, feels incredible opening a portal myself" Horace chuckles as he pulls up a seat.

Alec and Dearborn sit at the cafe table in a small Italian town square. The sun was bright and the town unusually quiet with Alec’s teams on roof tops and at the perimeter of the square.

Alec conjures two correttos. Dearborn smiles politely and takes a sip where Alec takes 2 gulps and it’s gone.

Dearborn raises a brow as he continues to take small sips, “You really _are_ half warlock" he teases at the taste of the alcohol as Alec rolls his eyes.

“I know what you’re thinking" Dearborn smiles as he pulls out and lights a cigar, “Want one?”

Alec’s face reads like a book and it’s screaming the confusion regarding Dearborn, something seems off about him.

Alec shakes his head, he didn’t know Dearborn smoked, “You know what I’m thinking? I don't recall Clary rediscovering a telepathy rune"

“The trademark sassy Alec, never thought I'd miss it until I did", Dearborn chuckles, “You don’t trust me, you don’t trust..._this_, right now you’re thinking it sounds too good to be true but you’re also thinking that the chance to reunite our people is too promising to ignore”

Alec’s face becomes expressionless as he thinks seriously. How the tables have turned, Dearborn no longer holding back on his expressions; he was pleased, almost amused.

“What happened to you" Alec asks softly

“I met an Angel” Dearborn beams, “I’ve never felt that way before. When that angel was in front of us in the heart of the city it was like...understanding. Like a lightbulb clicked in the most profound way"

“You’ll appreciate I’m sceptical” Alec conjured another corretto for himself.

“Perfectly" Dearborn smiles and sighs, crossing his legs and leaning back comfortably into the chair.

“So you will accept me as consul? You and your followers?” Alec probes.

“Oh I’m not entirely sure I’d go that far. But we do need to find a way to unite in the face of common enemies.”

Alec huffs, disappointed that they won’t accept the Clave.

“Surely it’s a starting point Alec, you gotta be a tinsy bit pleased" Dearborn laughs as he continues to puff on the cigar.

“I suppose, yes, at least we have a starting point.” Alec downs his drink.

“I think its time you met them" Dearborn smiles, almost kindly.

“Who?”

“The angels of course” Dearborn smirks as two shadowy forms appear next to him.

Alec jolts up to his feet, his chair falling back.

Before he could react he was surrounded by darkness.

**\---Scene 5---**

“What’s happening” Magnus bursts into the ops centre.

“Magnus?” Elena asks confused.

“Alec, he’s in trouble” Magnus says swiftly

Elena picks up the phone and calls the security detail with a single button, “This is delegate Larkspear, report" after a moment of nothing but silence she repeats “Report!”

Placing her hand over the speaker she calls with urgency the shadowhunter at the nearest desk, “Satellite feed now”

Jace pelts into the room, “What’s going on!” noting Magnus is already there Jace sees the same freaked out face that he is wearing, “You felt it too?”

Magnus nods, eyes wide and about to burst into tears, “I can’t feel him anymore" he stutters.

Elena looks at the feed, their people are down on the ground but seem unharmed but there is no sign of Alec or Dearborn. “Get an extraction unit and a forensic team I want to know what the hell just happened"

“You!" Elena practically shouts at another Nephilim at the next control unit, “Consul Lightwood-Bane had a GPS tracker on him, find out where he is"

Magnus pulls a surprised face, he didn’t know that.

“I insisted when he told me he was meeting Horace" Elena explains.

“There’s... No signal mam" the Nephilim responds. “Even with wards it should be detectable.”

Jace catches Magnus as he looks like he is about to keel over.

In that moment Jace held Magnus tighter than any other man he has ever held save for Alec. Magnus can’t hold back the tears as they stream down his face.

“He’s ok Magnus, where ever he is, if he was dead we would have felt it. We will find him!” Jace held Magnus by the nape trying to convince himself as well as Magnus that he must be safe; he certainly can’t be dead they would know. Magnus buries his head in Jace’s neck. Jace places a kiss on Magnus’s temple. They can’t feel Alec but they can feel their collective fear and sadness through their wedded union and Parabatai rune and that could only further Jace’s claim that Alec must still be alive somewhere.

“I’ve got you Magnus" Jace pulls him in even tighter, his fingers in Magnus’s hair, hoping his link to Alec is enough to soothe Magnus and in all honesty himself.

**\---Scene 6---**

Alec starts to open his eyes, everything seems blurry and spinning until his eyes adjust to the strange room he is in.

Panicked for a moment Alec runs his hands over his back, a slight blue energy pulsing from his finger tips and he sighs for a moment thinking _thank the angel_ when his magic confirms what he needed to know.

Looking around but still dazed Alec realises he is on a bed and lifting his arm he sees he is still in his clothes. Had he just been dumped in this bedroom?

The walls were odd, like he was in a cave, the material a mixture of minerals. Except it wasn’t the rough surface of a cave but a perfectly smooth and polished finish.

“You're up? Good, good”

Alec recognised the voice, Dearborn.

“Where am I?” Alec says rising to his feet.

“Facilis descensus averni" Dearborn says smugly.

“Where am I?" Alec says somewhat casually.

“I just told you were we are, try to keep up" Dearborn rolls his eyes playfully with a smirk on his face.

Alec walks slowly to the window with Dearborn almost gliding casually behind him.

Alec’s jaw drops when he sees the view from the window. It’s almost indescribable.

“Welcome to hell”

**\---Scene 7---**

Simon enters the hive of activity like a man on a mission, Izzy close behind him.

“Izzy, you heard already?” Jace asks, surprised because he hasn’t sent a fire message yet.

“Heard?” Izzy and Simon stare at each other.

“Alec, he's, we don’t know where he is" Jace struggles to maintain eye contact.

“Wait, what?” Simon looking perplexed grabs Izzy’s hand sensing her alarm.

“He was visiting Dearborn and now it’s like he's disappeared off the face of the earth. We know he’s not dead but other than that" Jace sighs, exhausted really.

“Horace?” Izzy seethes, “I’ll kill the bastard"

“Where’s Magnus?”

“Side room, he’s not taking it very well. Thought it was best he got some space before he explodes with rage.” Jace swallows thickly, it was never a good sign when Magnus lost control of his glamour and the cat eyes were out.

Jace pauses thoughtfully for a moment, “Hang on, if you guys didn’t know about Alec what was with the dramatic entrance"

“it can wait" Izzy dismisses.

But Simon, deep in thought wonders, “Iz, what if they’re connected?”

“What’s connected?” Jace frowns. Now was not the time for another of Simon’s babbling fests.

Izzy can’t help but wonder if Simon is on to something, “Someone accessed the codex, we don’t know who"

“What?” Elena calls out across the room, picking up on the conversation, “How do you know?”

“I was the last one in last night, things were... out of place in the room, only a little. So I brought up the security feeds and there’s a 3 hour period missing from the tapes" Simon looks anxiously at Elena.

With a curious look on her face Elena pulls up the computer, “What time does the 3 hour period end?”

“5.30am"

“Only a small number of people have the clearance to pull something like that off.” Elena types away at the computer, “And the only person who on that list who logged into their account at a computer terminal around that time was...Alec"

“What the fuck? You’re suggesting Alec snuck in to read the codex then deleted any evidence that he did that?” Izzy knows her brother, he believes in transparency, why would he attempt to hide something.

**\---Scene 8---**

“Spectacular isn’t it" Dearborn gleamed.

Alec looked out, taken away by the view, it was massive and nothing like he had ever seen before. It was a giant sphere, incomprehensibly large and they were on the inside of it. Looking out Alec saw great spires and towers of an immense city they were in the heart of. It was surrounded by dense forest, which stretched for thousands of miles. He was so high up and the shape of hell so enormous he could see so much further. To the right of the forests there was a massive ocean at what seemed to be the equator, to the left there was a sprawling desert, and beyond the desert seemed a hellish firestorm landscape of rivers of lava and plumes of gases. To the right beyond the ocean it seemed to repeat, forest, desert, and then the hellish landscape he had expected. Looking up Alec saw these places ran right round the circumference of the sphere and at the centre of the void a bright star which Alec shielded his eyes from.

“Impressive isn’t it, with more than enough space for us all. Over half a billion times the size of earth" Dearborn looked out in awe.

“So, you’re what? Demon now?” Alec sniped.

“Such a big word, for someone who doesn’t understand" Dearborn placed his hand on Alec’s shoulders as if he was a friend.

Alec's eyes flickered gold but nothing happens.

“Oh we've put wards in place to stop you portalling" Dearborn doesn’t flinch from his position on Alec’s shoulder, “Thinking of a way to escape?”

“Actually I was thinking of killing you" Alec spat.

“Oh how delightful" Dearborn smirked the most grotesque smile, it sent shivers down Alec’s spine and reminded him of Asmodeus. “Dinner is in 1 hour. You might wish to change” he pointed at what seemed to be a closet in the wall.

**\---Scene 9---**

“I came as soon as I heard" Clary throws her arms around Jace and then her Parabatai.

“Magnus?” Clary asks as she moves on to Simon for a brief hug.

“Honestly I’m worried what he will do. It’s not like a Parabatai bond but I can faintly feel him through Alec’s bonds to both of us. I’ve never felt rage like that before" Jace gulps.

“Simon, is there anyway to know what Alec was looking at in the codex?” Elena jumps back into the conversation.

“I don’t think there is but I could try I guess?” Simon agrees nervously, knowing that he couldn’t know for sure what Alec found that triggered his actions.

Simon plants a kiss on Izzy, gentle and brief. “I will find him, somehow. I _will find_ your brother"

Izzy’s lips tremble, “I know you will". Her words were sincere, she truly believes that if anyone can find Alec through the codex it is her Simon.

**\---Scene 10---**

Alec looked at the fine clothes in the wardrobe. He wasn’t going to play dress up. His own clothes would do.

A million thoughts ran through his mind, a part of him debated taking action now, but he was too curious. This was Alec's chance to find out more, he would play the role of the helpless captor as long as possible.

“Not changing?” the familiar voice of Dearborn came from the now open doorway.

Alec instinctively took a step back causing a chuckle for Dearborn.

“Alec if we wanted you dead you’d be dead already. Now come. You don’t want to be rude to our hosts"

“Hosts?”

“You have questions I know. I promise they will answer them" Dearborn almost seemed human, more human than he was even as a shadowhunter. Alec couldn’t help but find it unsettling.

Dearborn leads Alec out of the room and down many corridors. Eventually reaching a room and knocking loudly.

“Come in” a voice called out.

As the two entered Alec found another 3 people waiting, none of which he recognised. The first was a tall gaunt gentleman who looked like he was in his forties, his lips were pencil thin, Alec questioned if there was any lips there it looked so inhuman.

The second one was a young boy, who couldn’t be more than 15 years old, at least that’s how he looked but something told Alec he was much older than that.

Lastly an older woman with white hair, who gave off grandmotherly vibes.

“Ah Alexander Lightwood-Bane” the old woman greeted him with a firm and prolonged handshake. Like a fan who was too giddy at meeting their hero.

“And you are?” Alec asked directly. His eyes carefully studying the three of them.

“Ah, now that’s the question. The right question but you don’t understand the right way to ask it” the woman said cryptically, “You’re asking for a name but a name is not who I am which is really what you want to know"

“Are you being coy or cryptic?”

She chuckles at that one, “No I’m not a warlock if that’s what you’re thinking. I am human"

Being bold Alec challenges that, he knows where he is after all, “You’re demon" he says plainly.

“What is a demon?” The smile never leaving her face.

“Tea? Dinner will be a bit longer than expected, I never took to cooking. I suppose I should have ordered take out but I wanted to make an effort. After all you being here is quite the occasion"

“Tea?” Alec raises his brow.

“I assume you are familiar with the beverage?” The woman teases.

“You asked me a question" Alec rolled his eyes slightly.

The gaunt gentleman left the room and returned shortly with a tray of China cups and a teapot. He pours a cup for everyone and everyone takes a seat around the coffee table, including Alec.

“What do you know of demons Mr Lightwood-Bane?” The gaunt man asks.

“Evil, corrupted souls, who are no longer human" Alec bites his lip, trying to remain civil but finding the slow pace of the conversation frustrating. But he feels somewhat alleviated that they are speaking with him, this is an interrogation in his mind, answers to questions about this war.

“Oh we are human, in fact I would say we are perfectly human.” The old woman takes a sip of the tea.

“You were one of the most devout Nephilim, now you follow those who oppose the angels" Alec darted his eyes at Dearborn.

“No Alec, I follow the angels”

“Fallen Angels"

“We are aware what the others say but you have been fed lies Mr Lightwood-Bane, lies designed to hide the truth from you" the woman interrupts.

“What truth?” Alec bluntly asks.

“That the others, the angels you follow, are not the good guys" She smiles warmly, “more tea?”

**\---Scene 11---**

“Magnus?” Jace slowly approached him, seeing him shiver, his cat eyes on display and faint traces of blue magic ran along his skin like veins.

Without Alec there Magnus and Jace could feel each other more strongly through their bonds, as if the middle man had been cut out.

Coming closer to Magnus he saw the tears in his eyes and felt his own eyes well up as he felt the pain in Magnus. In turn that removed his own barriers as his feelings bubbled back to the surface, feelings he had kept down by being busy helping the others work out what happened.

Jace wanted to provide a comfort to Magnus that only Alec could provide, feeling useless to help his Parabatai's husband.

Sitting next to Magnus, Jace instinctively pulled Magnus’s face to his and place a soft and gentle kiss on his lips.

Magnus smiled, their foreheads still touching and their eyes closed. “He’s coming back for you baby, he’s coming back" Jace reassured him.

It was both an odd and natural sensation. It was as if the bonds used Jace as a messenger. The kiss felt like it was Alec's lips, the words were Alec’s. As if Alec had sent an email to Jace which his Parabatai was simply forwarding.

Both of them felt what it meant and what it was. There wasn’t an attraction between the two men and no confusion. Jace was a conduit for Alec's feelings and love to reach Magnus with himself so far away.

Jace thought to himself, as if directed towards Alec _just don’t expect me to sleep with him_. And although Magnus couldn’t read the thoughts he could feel the intent and feeling and burst into laughter amongst the sobs. Jace embraced him as he continued to cry, as they both continued to cry.

**\---Scene 12---**

“The angels were appointed guardians of humanity by the creator, but very early on there were disagreements about what that meant" the woman continued, searching Alec’s eyes for a clue to his thoughts as she told him the history of the angels.

“Disagreements?” Alec’s brow raised.

“The angels you call the fallen and the others who exert their influence through the Nephilim came to differing conclusions on humanity" Dearborn interjects, “The _fallen_ as you call them believe that we should embrace all aspects of our humanity”

“Our emotions and desires. Alec we were given those by the creator in all their varied and wonderful forms" The young boy joined into the conversation, “It is the beauty of our humanity, our joy, our rage, our lust, our desire to protect, our destructive tendencies, our curiosity; it’s all part of who and what we are. It’s what we were gifted by the creator in a way the angels were never gifted”

“Alec, all the angels want is for us to embrace ourselves in all aspects of humanity" the woman continued.

“Asmodeus, Lilith. They didn’t seem to hold much humanity to me. They kill and corrupt and...”

“Yes! Lilith wanted vengeance for husband’s betrayal, and Asmodeus lusted for power. It was beautiful, it was...human. But that’s just some of what makes us what we are. There was always a plethora of _demons_, many on earth, who never appeared on your radars, those who embraced a whole range of other aspects of their humanity. Lilith used to joke they were the _middle classes_.” She continued to sip her tea.

“Look at the downworlders, they may not embrace it in their souls but their blood still brings out their humanity in extremis. The seelies, warlocks, wolves, vampires; seeking to protect, to indulge, to embrace their base instincts, to consume life itself.” Dearborn adds.

“There were many others over the eons whose species did not survive, the centaurs, the mermaids, the titans" the gaunt man notes, “but unfortunately they never embraced in their souls that core truth of what humanity really is.”

“You want me to believe that demons are the good guys?” Alec looks at the tea, and with a flick of the wrist it turns into a martini.

“We don’t claim to be anything but what we are. A beautiful composite of a myriad of emotions and desires that make us all unique and special” the woman sighs, “but then there are the _others_”

**\---Scene 13---**

“Simon, please say you found what Alec came across" Clary jumps on him the moment he enters the room. Clary leaves Magnus’s side; who was now back in the group with a sense of determination to get his man back.

“No I umm, I don’t know what he saw exactly. But I came across something else. I know where he is"

“This is the first time I’ve said this to a man but spit it out" Magnus glared

“He’s, umm, he’s in hell" Simon looks sheepish.

“Dudael?” Izzy questions.

“No, I mean he is actually in hell. The plane of existence where the fallen dwell"

Magnus’s lip tremble and Jace threads his fingers in his left hand to keep Magnus grounded. His other hand holding on to Clary to keep himself grounded.

“You said it takes days, weeks to travel between those planes, at least until the barriers fully collapse” Elena points out, dubious over the claim.

“The barriers are like a net remember? Yeah it takes a while for the big fish to get through but we’re just not fallen angels, we slide right on through. I don’t understand how exactly he got there, it’s not quite the same as portalling to a nearby plane like Dudael it would still take a lot of energy to get through.”

“Horace?” Izzy asks through gritted teeth, hoping he was dead, that Alec killed the bastard before being dragged off to hell.

“He’s one of them now it seems. And, umm I think Idris has been corrupted completely”

**\---Scene 14---**

“You know what the others do Alec, you know it better than anyone" Dearborn says with a sigh as he circles the room, “and to think I thought that was the way. I’m beyond thankful I saw the light"

Alec cringed at that.

“The others, they seek to control, seek to suppress humanity” the old woman shakes her head.

“No, they protect humanity, they made the Nephilim to protect humanity!” Alec fires back.

“Protect them from themselves?” The young boy questions

The woman places her hand, sympathetically on Alec’s over the table. “Emotions are a weakness, a distraction, something that gets in the way. That’s apart of what they believe, tell me do you too? I sense a great well of love and emotion towards your husband, children, and the rest of your family. Do you fight harder for them? Is that emotion a weakness?”

“The others believe in rules, in duty, in sacrifice. Because simply, they do not value what makes us all unique. To them we are interchangeable, a cell in the wider body with no intrinsic value. It’s why anything that deviates from that is a threat.”

“No! We love, we have passions as Nephilim” Alec begins to argue.

“To an extent, but still more than they would wish. It’s why there are so many rules, hidden in the language of duty and honour. You were to marry a woman were you not? Because the rules say you’re numbers need to multiply. Like breeding cattle"

“No, that’s, that’s not what. You’re twisting it!” Alec finds himself defensive.

“We're offering nothing more or less than truth." the woman continued.

**\---Scene 15---**

“Papi?” Rafe cautiously calls out when he sees Magnus’s face.

Maxie and Madzie bounds towards Magnus not reading the facial expressions. Magnus swoops them up, one in each arm.

“Hello my darlings" he faintly says.

“Magnus? What’s wrong?” Catarina asks as sees his make up in a state and an exhausted expression in his face.

“Thanks for looking after my boys” he chokes out.

“Madzie, can you play with Maxie and Rafe while I have a chat with Magnus?”

Madzie nods her head.

Catarina closes the study doors behind them.

“Magnus what’s going on?” Catarina looks at him with concerned to see him looking so off.

“They took Alec, Cat they took my husband”

The tears start to well up again, just as Magnus thought he couldn’t possibly cry any more.

Catarina embraces him in a hug. Being a warlock he knows when things are out of place which is why he quickly notices a brown envelope on his tray on the desk.

“That’s Alec’s hand writing”

Looking at the envelope its light weight, with Magnus written on the front. Opening it up he gives a perplexed look at the SD card inside.

“What’s that?”

“It's the memory card from our camera” the outline of a smile starts to form for the briefest of moments, “Alec brought it ages ago. He thought it would be fun to film us...” Magnus hesitates “when we go on vacations".

Catarina hides a smirk, this wasn’t the time to suggest what they might have used it for.

**\---Scene 16---**

“Why tell me all this. You’re just going to kill me anyway"

“We don’t want you dead" the gaunt gentleman chuckles.

“He does" Alec sighs nodding his head towards Dearborn.

“I used to” Dearborn smirks

“You’re a power hungry traitor, who wanted me dead long before you became a demon" Alec’s eye squint, “Just like Asmodeus you’ll do anything for power"

“I used to think that’s all it was but they showed me what it was I truly wanted; belonging. I thought by being consul, by leading I would belong, be accepted. Turns out I have all the acceptance I need right here. They are the angels Alec, they accept me, all of me.”

“Does that include your murderous streak" Alec snorts.

“Yes" the woman smiles, “his desire to kill you was beautiful, as is his desires now. That’s the point. Every aspect of humanity, the creator gave you that gift. In what ever form it takes it should be embraced”

“And what’s the fallen’s excuse? They kill, is that their desires?”

“They don’t desire they way we do Alec. This is a war, against the others who seek to suppress you and all of mankind. Some are lost along the way, the angels don't wish for it. But you can’t deny the vision; of humanity unleashed, to live as intended, to embrace every facet of their uniqueness"

“Why tell me this, why bring me here"

“You’re interfering with a war you don’t understand" Dearborn explains, “outside of Moscow you and your allies killed hundreds of angels"

“Your _angels_ have killed” Alec sniped.

“Have they?” The woman raises her brow, “tell me, of all the numerous occasions the angels have come to your plane, how often do they kill? They don’t wish you harm, they could have attacked the Nephilim and wiped them out. But they only have where it has been absolutely necessary”

Alec ponders that, it’s true that most of the times the fallen appeared they had come to a place, corrupted it and then left.

“We need you to stop, we need you to understand that the angels are _not_ your enemy”

“Which brings me back to the question, why not kill me, it’s the easiest solution” Alec crosses his arms defiantly.

“If we do you become a martyr. How many Nephilim and downworlders will you condemn to join you in death, fighting against those that only want the best for you" Dearborn huffs frustrated.

**\---Scene 17---**

Magnus slides the memory card into the laptop and opens the only recording on there.

Magnus bursts in to a mixture of tears and smiles when he sees Alec’s face on the screen.

_“Hey Magnus"_ Alec says softly, an expression Magnus had seen once before, when Alec had told him he always comes back.

_“If you’re seeing this it means I’m probably dead or will be dead very soon” _

“no no no" Magnus pleads at the screen, his fingers tracing the outline of Alec’s Jaw.

_“I’m meeting with Horace in a few hours, even though I know it’s a trap” _

Magnus bites his lip, why did he go, why didn’t he say anything.

“_If he is taking me where I think he is taking me. There’s probably no going back" _Alec’s face drops on the recording, “_and I know if I told you, or any of the gang, you’d try and stop me"_

Of course he would have stopped him. Magnus bites his lip, a mixture of hurt, fear and anger.

“_And I’m scared, that if I looked into those beautiful cat eyes, I’d let you stop me. But I need to do this. I can’t see a way to win this war, not on the battle field, and I can’t see thousands more die for a hopeless war"_

Alec pauses, thoughtfully.

“_But if I’m honest much more than that, I can’t lose you or our babies. I can’t live knowing we have months if we are lucky, before this war claims you, or Rafe...or Maxie" _Alec chokes

Dammit Alec, Magnus wipes away the tears.

_“I think I have a way to end this or at least give you all a fighting chance. And this time thousands won’t die, just... me I guess"_

**\---Scene 18---**

Alec could feel the heat at the back of his neck, whispers, voices, telling him to accept what they were saying. But he knows what acceptance means, he knows what they want, Alec to join them, to accept in his heart the fallen and what they stand for.

Alec closes his eyes and pictures his family. Magnus giving him a flirtatious smile with his cat eyes shining through and piercing his heart. Little Rafe and Maxie playing together, Maxie swinging off his brother like he always seems to try and do.

Alec takes one deep breath, “Thank you"

The woman’s lips curl up into a smile, “Oh I just knew you would understand. I knew if we just got you here and talked to you we could save you all"

“No, thank you for showing me what it is we're facing. And for giving me the strength to do what needs to be done" Alec says with his eyes shut.

Not only were the fallen powerful, but their message seductive, dangerous, and now he had a chance to do damage.

As the 3 others pull confused faces Alec quickly slams his fists down to the ground. In a powerful display of his warlock magic a shockwaves knocks them down to the ground, disorienting them and smashing up the room.

**\---Scene 19---**

Jace buries his face into his palms as Clary wraps her arms around him. The recording had finished. After the message for Magnus, the recording continued, with messages for them all although Magnus couldn’t bring himself to show the boys theirs just yet.

The room was a bit packed, Maryse, Luke, Aline and Jia (Although Jia wasn’t really with it), Simon, Izzy, Clary, Jace, Magnus. Catarina had joined to give Magnus some support leaving the kids with Underhill and Lorenzo which if not for the circumstances was an amusing scene to behold. Elena was also in the room having felt that although personal, she needed to know what was going on with the Consul on behalf of the council.

“What is he thinking, what can one man do in hell? Against, by the angel, who knows how many fallen" Jace clenched his fists, angry that Alec had taken such action.

“I’m sorry to interrupt" a shaken and out of breath Evan Valtersen runs in.

“Delegate Valtersen?” Elena asks, she wasn’t expecting another council member.

“Elena, it’s the light mines" he struggles to catch his breath as Elena almost scolds him for interrupting the group during an emotional time. Evan had taken a lead position regarding the development and production of the new tech; providing council oversight.

“3 high yield mines are missing from the production labs" he blurted out. With the limited resources they had and the demands for stones which were capable of freezing up the fallen during attacks, there were less than 100 mines produced so far. And, because of the instability and difficulty creating them, there were only 4 _high_ yield mines that had been successfully built.

**\---Scene 20---**

Alec runs through the opening and up the stairs reaching the top of the tower, he had to be at least 2km above the ground but it was hard to tell with the density of the city.

Panting heavily despite his activated stamina rune Alec overlooked the landscape. He was in awe of it. It was gargantuan world of extremes, which made sense given what the fallen believed.

Alec wears a sad smile, thinking to himself this would be high enough to do what he had planned. A plan that he had decided upon even before he met Dearborn.

“Alec?”

Spinning round on the spot, Alec sees the concerned faces of Dearborn and the old woman, flanked by 4 shadowy forms about the same size as them.

“Alec, please come back inside. We’re not your enemy” the woman pleads with a kind smile, but that smile somehow seemed twisted and Alec’s stomach knotted up.

Alec’s hands glowed as he removed the glamour that was hiding a backpack he was wearing, a small wire led from the pack to his wrist where a sensor had been monitoring his vitals.

With a smile as Alec reflected on his family and loved ones Alec rips the backpack from his body and throws it at the group before jumping off the ledge.

The air rushed and surrounded his body as he fell, opening his eyes as he sees the bright star at the centre of the great void Alec let’s out the gentlest of sounds, “Magnus"

Darkness encompassed Alec and his sight left him as a haze of smoke filled his field of vision.

The old woman runs to the edge and looks over, confused as to where Alec was, they were high and it was hard to see the bottom.

Dearborn scrambled to open the bag, when he unzipped it he pulled out 1 of 3 cylindrical canisters the size of large thermos. They were wired to a small palm sized monitor showing a flat line on the screen, presumably the lack of pulse.

“What the fuck is this?” Dearborn called out to his colleague in absolute confusion.

A bright beacon of light pulsates for a moment from the top of the tower before a powerful expanding blast of light engulfs the city. The force of the explosion vaporising buildings, the forest trees bend and crack as they fall to the ground. Unearthly howling echoes as the explosion spreads in every direction for at least 200 miles, intensified a thousand fold by the reaction between the light and the fabric of the hellish plane. Not unlike the reaction between heavenly fire and Edom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think. We are very near the end. Another chapter or two I think


	20. The Beginning of the End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec is back from hell, but how? And has Alec turned the tide against the Fallen Angels? Or will things get much much worse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while. Since the global pandemic I've found myself trying to find how to work remotely, left my home and currently staying with relatives including a small 4 year old. So it has taken some time to find my grove again and get writting. But I have already done a lot of work on the remaining chapters so I'm hoping to get back into a regular publishing pattern for the final 5ish chapters

**\---Scene 1---**

The operations centre was hive of panicked activity. 

"Speak to me Lewis" Eleanor calls out, Lily by her side and her hand on her arm, which hadn't gone unnoticed by Simon or Jace who were in the room trying to work through the codex

Simon swears under his breath, not that he had any breath but he was feeling frustrated by the codex. 

Looking down at the codex the text was changing faster than he could keep up with, "The amount of information coming through is too fast to process and there are huge gaps because this fucker is starting to fail as the barriers continue to weaken" 

Simon smashes his fist on the table, his vampire strength denting the metal table leaving a 4 inch dent in it from where the metal had moulded to his fist like it was made out of clay. 

Jace moves a nearby screen and yanks the computer’s camera and angles it using a clamp to the hover over the codex. Typing furiously he sets up a programme to take an image every time the codex changes. Calling to Bat, Maia's wolf boyfriend who was helping in the operations centre at the time "Bat, get everyone from the codex team here now" as each image starts displaying on a large screen at the back of the room. 

Image after image appears on the screen, keeping a record of all the information coming through. 

Simon nods his agreement to Jace and walking up to the big screen starts trying to decode it as fast as he can while he waits for others who have been working on codex. 

"Talk to me," Eleanor calls out.

"Whatever is happening it's big! It looks like a lot of fallen have been killed" Simon shouts.

"Give me numbers Lewis" Lily adds

"I can't, I have no frame of reference" Simon huffs trying to look over the images that are coming in faster than he can process. 

"Can you cross reference it to the battle outside Moscow to contextualise the numbers?" Jace suggests. 

Simon smiles slightly, Jace was in some ways a lot smarter than he cared to admit, often playing the role of the muscle of the group despite him actually being rather intelligent. 

"It's more than Moscow, a lot more, but I can't pin it down, thousands certainly, but it could be tens of thousands, or more, I just can't work it out and there is too much information missing here"

"Are you saying Alec single handedly has killed thousands of fallen?" Clary enters the room having left Magnus back at his loft. 

"Magnus?" Jace asks softly as he threads his fingers through hers.

"I got him to take a sleeping potion" Clary sighs, Magnus was not handling the situation well; fearing that his husband had left him for a suicide mission, "I left the boys with my dad, Maryse is on her way to join them- she was visiting Max"

"Somehow, yeah, Alec seems to have dealt them quite the blow- I'm guessing using the high yield mines he took with him- I doubt he would have survived the blast if he had set it off" Simon shakes his head. 

"I would have felt him die" Jace knows he is not dead.

"We don't know how your bond works over such distances" Elena points out. 

But Jace is adamant, "No, I know he is alive" he turns to look at Clary and softly adds with puppy dog eyes "he can't be, he just can't"

**\---Scene 2---**

Alec's eyes are heavy and he can barely open them, lifting his arm which feels heavy he rubs his eyes. 

Alec knows he has never been a morning person but he feels like he is floored and all the energy has just been zapped. 

It takes him a moment to remember, jumping off the tower to his death. The thought causes him to jolt into an alert state as he tries to take in his surroundings which seems blurry at first. 

Wherever he was was dark, except for a fire in the centre. Trying to get down from the ledge he was laid on Alec stumbles to the ground. 

"Easy" a voice calls out as an arm wraps around him and brings him to his feet. "I'm sorry, passing through the barrier can be quite disorientating for lower beings unless they are unconscious when they pass through."

"Who. Are. You?'' Alec struggles to get the words out. His vision is less blurry than it was before but he still felt unsteady on his feet. He looked at the man in front of him, he was stunning, a beautiful shade of tan, deep brown eyes, dark short hair with cheekbones for days. Alec grabbed his arm to steady himself, they were muscular but not overly large, his build more like that of a swimmer. 

"Abdiel" the mysterious man offers in response, "rest"

Alec's stamina rune glows and soon he is standing on his own feet.

"Or not" Abdiel rolls his eyes. 

Alec's face is scrunched up as he studies Abdiel's face, "what are you?"

"Gemini, and you?" Abdiel snaps back

"Sorry, I just mean, are you an Angel?" 

"Yes, but that's not what you call us"

"You're fallen" Alec gulps, taking a step back

"Of all the things to call us, you give us that slur?" Abdiel sighs, "but yes, I am what you would call  _ fallen _ ."

Alec is as confused as ever, he just dealt a great blow to the fallen angels, why was one here, why was he not dead. "You don't look..." Alec paused, "smokey" 

The fallen angel chuckles, "My true form is hard for your visual cortex to process, I thought you might feel more comfortable is I appeared in a more...simple form"

Alec had a million questions, and Abdiel could tell. But two questions were at the forefront. "Why am I alive, where am I?"

Abdiel conjures some food in front of Alec; some cheese, bread and water. 

"This plane is near hell, a pocket plane of existence, I thought it would be too dangerous to get you home just yet- the others might intercept us. For the moment however I'm pretty sure they think you're dead"

"Why aren't' I?"

"Why did you jump off the tower- the blast would have killed you anyway?"

Alec thinks, "I don't know, it was just, instinct" 

Abdiel nods, his lips pursed together, "like a voice deep inside was telling you to?" he points to himself. 

"You?" Alec says, astounded. 

"If the others had seen me pull you into this plane they would have followed after us. I needed them to think you had jumped to your death" 

"I just massacred your people- why rescue me?" Alec still hasn't touched the food, instead choosing to walk slowly around the fire opposite Abdiel. 

"They massacred themselves" Abdiels heart sank, "And before this is over many more will die, unless you end it"

"Me?" Alec raises his eyebrow. 

"You and Clary! Ithuriel had thought that Clary on her own would be enough, maybe she would have had he not given her all the memories he could but the ones she needed. Sentimental'' Abdiel huffs but a slight smile sweeps across his face as he says it, "But I understand why he did- I just wish he was here to see it through. In any case I see now we need you too, both of you" 

"You knew Ithuriel?" Alec still continues to dance around the fire, ever cautious. 

"Knew him? I guess you could say he was my co-conspirator" 

Alec nods his head slightly, "You're a double agent? You're working on the side of the Angels?"

With an exasperated sigh Abdiel responds "No, I don't work for the others, I don't believe in what they do; the collective good above all else, stifling your god given gifts"

"Then why?" Alec is right back to be confused. 

"Me and Ithuriel believed in very different things, but there was one aspect about this war we did agree on; beyond our ideological differences"

"Don't keep me in suspense" Alec nudges him on.

**\---Scene 3---**

**(light smut)**

Magnus wished he hadn't taken that sleeping potion at first, his dreams had been worse than reality, seeing all the different ways Alec may have died, suffered or been tortured in hell. But this one was much better. His eyes still closed but feeling the presence of Alec linger, his scent all over the bedding, a heat next to his chest where Alec's body was, his perfect ass buried into his groin making him semi-hard and leaking precum between Alec's cheeks. 

Magnus dared to reach over, his arm wrapping around Alec's body, his hand wandering over Alec's muscular chest. Magnus finally felt safe. His wedded Union rune was warming and bursting with emotion; a deep sense of love. 

Magnus's heavy eyelids lift taking in the sight of Alec's hair, messy from sleeping and smelling of his shampoo; the Indian Sandalwood wafting into his nostrils. Alec's body rose and fell as he breathed, that adorable little snore ever present. 

This felt so different to any of the other dreams he had had. It took Magnus a moment to click; this was reality. 

With a jolt and thump Magnus fell out of the bed naked causing Alec, naked himself, to Jump up with a confused and half alert expression on his face. 

"A..Alec?" Magnus is overwhelmed with emotion. how can this be real?

Alec's eyes widen as he catapults himself graceful over the bed to embrace his Husband, "Magnus? How?" tears streaming down his face, "The last thing I remember I was falling, how did I" he chokes, struggling to get words out over the emotional reunion. 

Magnus is almost frozen as Alec's arms surround him in a comforting blanket of flesh, of warm skin, of his husband's scent. 

Alec takes a step back to check his husband out, his hand on his chin, staring deeply in his eyes and asking without words 'are you ok?'

Magnus gave his answer with a powerful slap to Alec's face. Magnus's eyes well up, "Bastard! You left me! You left our boys! You left us all alone!"

Alec nods, the tears dripping from his chin down his chest. 

"I'm so sorry baby, I'm sorry"

Magnus can't make heads of tales of what he is feeling. It was all a giant mixing pot of emotions and he falls to his knees, quickly joined by Alec who again wraps his arms around him.

**\---Scene 4---**

As the two men cradled each other he doors burst open as Clary, Jace, Simon, Izzy and a handful of others ran in the room with weapons raised. Jace raises his arms to stop them as they all look at the pair in shock. 

Magnus is startled but doesn't let go of Alec. 

"We'll, umm be in the next room" Clary adds before they close the door. 

It takes a few moments before Magnus and Alec come out of the bedroom fully dressed. 

Alec, ever looking like a man on a mission demands "Where are my children!"

"It's ok, Rafe and Maxie are with your mom and my dad" Clary responds gently, looking curiously into his eyes to see if it was really him. 

"What are you all doing here?" Magnus asks, his clothes unusually dishevelled as if he hadn't cared too much about putting on his normal well crafted looks, even his makeup was missing. 

"We detected a breach, when we pinpointed it it was coming from your loft" Simon adds, "I'm sorry to be the buzz kill here but, Alec we need to be sure your, well, you!" 

Magnus pulls a face but Alec sighs and nods, after all from their perspective he had gone to hell and probably died, he could be an impostor, a fallen angel even. 

"Lets keep this simple" Jace rolls his eyes, grabbing Simon and taking him to Magnus and Alec's room. Simon looks confused at first but then nods, standing in the doorway allowing him to look at Alec and Jace at the same time whilst they couldn't see each other. 

Suddenly Alec dubs over in pain, holding his left thigh, "Fucks sake Jace!" 

Simon Smile and hugs Alec as Jace comes out of the room with his dagger in his thigh.

Clary brushes her hair aside and rolls her eyes as Jace pulls the dagger out and activates his Iratzi.

"How did you get back?" Izzy asks as she runs to hug her brother, "And through the wards?"

"I don't know" Alec shrugs, looking sheepish, he should be dead. 

"What was the last thing you remember?" Izzy asks as she holds Alec's face by the chin firmly, as if she was inspecting him. 

Swatting her hand away Alec shakes his head, "I was falling". He furls his brow up, it is the last thing he remembers but there is another thought, on the tip of his tongue that he can't quite remember.

Magnus huffs, "Izzy and Jace can stay for a while but everyone else needs to get out of my apartment. Biscuit, can you get my children please" his voice booming. 

"Of course" Calry smiles softly as she kisses Magnus gently on the cheek. 

Simon lets go of Izzy's hand with a mutual smile as they leave the loft. 

Magnus goes to turn the coffee machine on, he could conjure it but right now he needed an excuse to breath and as Alec's siblings Magnus wanted them to have a moment. 

He pours the coffee into 4 brilliant white mugs, laced with an intricate gold design with real gold; even his kitchenware was extravagant. 

Bringing them to the coffee table Magnus grabs a crystal decanter full of brandy- not his usual choice but it seemed appropriate. He pours a large shot into his own glass and non-verbally offers the others the same. Alec nods, as does Izzy but Jace wanting to keep level headed politely declines. 

Magnus knows what he is doing, this was a welcome distraction from confronting Alec with how angry he was that he left on a suicide mission; giving Izzy and Jace time with Alec. With any luck by the time they have finished the boys will be here, giving him yet another distraction. 

"So you jumped off the building? Why?" Jace asks, bringing Magnus out of his daze.

"I don't know there was just something inside me that said to jump, next thing I know I'm waking up with Magnus in bed. Honestly there was a moment there I thought it had all been a dream" Alec says as he takes a gulp. 

Alec sighs, "I feel like there is more though, and I feel, I don't know, somehow different, I can't quite explain it but it's like I know something important and I can't remember what" 

Izzy ponders out loud "maybe the Angels got you out?"

"Maybe" Alec shrugs. 

"You know Eleana and the council will want to see you asap!" Jace interjects much to others annoyance. 

"They can wait, right now I just need to be with my family, I need to see my boys first"

Magnus bites his tongue, why couldn't he thought about the boys before he went on a suicide mission. 

**\---Scene 5---**

Clary's head laid nestled into Jace's chest, his heart beat being a comfort. As Jace played with her hair, his fingers twiddling with the bright red strands, he asks if she is ok. 

Having dropped off the boys and with Izzy updating the council Jace decided to spend some much needed time cuddling up to Clary. 

With a heavy sigh Clary admits "I can't explain it, it's like this tight knot in my stomach, like there is heat under my skin and I can't seem to cool down. Everything that is happening, I know however it goes, it feels like the end is near but I don't know what it is"

"Is that coming from Ithuriel?" Jace softly asks, placing his face atop her hair. 

"Maybe?" Clary runs her fingers up and down Jace's arm, her finger tips tracing the various runes on his body. 

"With Alec's attack, maybe we're going to win. Sounds like he did a lot of damage" Jace wonders aloud, trying to be optimistic and reassuring for himself as well as Clary. 

Clary shakes her head, "No, it won't have been enough to stop them. It might give us a chance though, a glimmer of hope, an edge, perhaps for us or the Angels"

**\---Scene 6---**

Magnus wiped away the tears from his eyes in the kitchen as he went back to join Alec and the boys; his family back together. 

"So what should I conjure for dinner?" Magnus asks with a smile plastered over his face. 

"Anything Papi" Rafe laughs as he cuddles up to Alec while Maxie climbs all over his arm and back. 

"What about you my little Blueberry?"

"McDonalds" Maxie giggles. 

Alec raises his eyebrows, "You've spent too much time with Uncle Simon, he is getting you hooked on that mundane junk food" 

Magnus shakes his head with a slight giggle, "Husband, we  _ need  _ to get them on decent food. I refuse to eat swill for the next 15 years"

Alec can't help but beam, he has his family again, and while he was only gone a little while, he didn't think he would see them again. With a flick of his wrist and a blue flash of light, food appeared on the dining table, "come on boys"

Magnus laughed when he saw the spread, Lobsters at one end and McDonalds burgers at the other. 

In that moment Magnus decided to ignore any hurt or anger, he just needed to enjoy this moment. 

Alec placed a piece of lobster next to Magnus's lips and he slowly parts his lips to let the succulent flesh enter and melt on his lips, "hmmm" he moans

"Good?" Alec's smile melts him. 

"Not as good as the Lobster I conjure" he teases, "but pretty darn good"

Maxie giggles away as he tucks into a burger, Rafe being a bit daring puts down his burger and looks at Alec, "Papi can I try some?" 

"Sure" Alec hands him a lobster folk with some meat on it, "would you like some of this?" Alec points to the garlic butter to which Rafe nods. 

Once in his mouth Rafe pulls a face which makes Alec and Magnus chuckle, their hands reaching for each other under the table. The face is very much one of the little boy studying it to decide if he likes it or not. 

"It's nice," Rafe smiles. 

Maxie, not wanting to be left out now but also wanting his McDonalds grabs some lobster for himself and opening up the burger bun places it in the burger and proceeds to eat it causing everyone else to burst out laughing. 

**\---Scene 7---**  
(light smut)  


"Stop stressing" Izzy moves to sit on Simon's lap, planting small kisses on his forehead as he chuckles. 

"I'm not" 

Izzy tilts her head to the side and the undeniable shape of lips about to laugh appears. 

"Ok, maybe a little" Simon admits, "but there is so much movement at the higher planes right now and the codex just continues to falter"

"We knew this would happen" Izzy puts on her serious face, "you've done so much for the war effort, I'm so proud of you! But you're not solely responsible for the codex or intel." 

"I thought I was your superman" Simon teases, placing his forehead against hers. 

"You're  _ my  _ Superman, no one else's, you can't save the world on your own"

"So you're my Lois Lane" 

"I'm Wonder Woman!" Izzy smiles, "I got the whip and everything" 

Simon chuckles as he buries his face into her neck, planting kisses along her collar bone.

"Now, I think you need to use some of that super-speed and super-strength and that super-large-c..."

Simon cuts her off with his burst of laughter as he slides his hands up her thighs, lighting her skirt to find there was no panties on, "Hmm" he smiles as his digits wonder

**\---Scene 8---**

Aline opens the door to let Alec in. Alec can't help but notice how frizzled she looks, Helen comes round the corner and welcomes Alec, "Babe why don't you take a shower, you've been running ragged all morning and Alec can help me for a while"

Aline lets out a faint smile, "I heard what happened. You ok Alec?" 

Alec nods, "Sorry I wasn't able to come round the other day, how is she"

"You were in hell Alec, of course you couldn't come round, we understood. But she did miss you. I don't think she understood why you couldn't see her so she's been a bit restless" Helen adds. 

As Alec comes round the corner he see's Jia on the chair. 

"You can't be Alec" Jia mutters, confused, "Alec comes on Mondays, today is Thursday, so you can't be Alec" 

Alec kneels next to Jia's chair "It's me, I'm sorry I couldn't be here on Monday"

Jia huffs, annoyed by the change in routine. 

Alec's heart wells up , breaking for his comrade who had been tortured into insanity but his father-in-law. 

Alec felt strange, a tingle moving around his body like a wave, spots danced in front of his vision and on instinct Alec grabs his steele and starts drawing a rune on Jia’s skin that neither he, Helen or Aline recognises.

Jia's eye's widen as she looks quickly between the 3 faces in the room and starts to break down sobbing in tears. 

Alec wraps his arms around her, "welcome back" as Jia continues to sob. 

"Alec what did you do?" Aline asks in shock, embraced by Helen, "did you just, did you heal her?"

Alec shakes his head, "I don't think so, not exactly"

Jia laughs through the tears, like a great burden had been released.

They all talk through the tears for what seems like hours but really it had been 10 minutes at first. Helen 

Helen comes back into the room with cups of tea, they needed something soothing. 

"I don't know how to explain it, it's like, I'm not ok exactly, it's like I'm able to function with it. Like I am finally able to start processing and dealing." Jia adds

"I've missed you" Aline chokes out, bringing even more tears to Jia as she embraced her daughter

"Even the silent brothers weren't able to do what you did- How?" Jia tightens her arms around Aline

"I really don't know" Alec feels a pit of fear deep inside at that prospect, how was he able to do that. 

**\----Scene 9---**

Lily sits up in bed reading her book, the small lamp by the bedside providing little light but as a vampire, her eyes had more than enough light to read. 

The bathroom light switches off and Elena comes out wearing a vest top and pyjama bottoms. 

"So are you going to tell me any more about the debrief?" Lily raises her brow as she puts her book down. 

"Do we need to talk about work? You were at the council session" 

"Yeah but I mean your talk with Jia" Lily lifts the covers over the other side of the bed as Elena gets in. 

"In some ways I'm glad she doesn't want to be consul, there's no precedence for us having two. But I thought she would at least want to rejoin the council" Elena sighs

"Well she still has a lot to work through I guess"

"I think we should tell everyone, about us I mean" Elena pulls the covers higher and places her head against Lily's shoulder. 

"You're changing the subject"

"I am but only to a subject we should be talking about" Elena lifts Lily's hand to her lips and places a kiss on the back of her hand. 

**\---Scene 10---**

Alec's heart sank, he can feel through their wedded union rune that Magnus was overloaded with emotions over everything that had happened recently but he wanted to wait until the boys were tucked in bed before chatting through everything. The last few days Alec had to admit he had succumbed to the temptation of just enjoying the pretense, enjoying playing families with his husband and pretending everything was ok but he knew Magnus was hurt. 

Magnus soon stepped out of the boys room after spending 40 minutes, no doubt Maxie had demanded story after story. 

Before Alec could start to approach the subject a knock came at the door. 

Magnus opened the door, Alec couldn't see but heard the exchange. 

"Lily what can I... Raphael what?"

"Can we come in?" Raphaels familiar voice made Alec jump to his feet, surprised to hear his voice. although Magnus regularly visited Raphael at the seminary Raphael for the most part had left the shadow world behind and has not visited their apartment since before their wedding. 

"Raphael, Lily what are you doing here?" Alec gives a glance to Magnus, trying to see if he had been expecting this but his face was equally surprised. 

Magnus waved them in, "Raphael my boy, it's good to see you, a bit unexpected but come sit". Magnus waved his hands and a glass of blood appeared on the table by Lily and a Horchata by Raphael. 

Having joined the seminary Raphael had not really taken up drinking alcohol in his mundane life but Magnus knew how much he had enjoyed the various non-alcoholic drinks from his previous mundane life that Raphael could have now he wasn't on a blood only diet. 

Raphael looked at the drink, he wanted to smile at the gesture but there was a sadness in his eyes. 

Magnus immediately felt there was something wrong, Lily was hesitant to say anything. Magnus, worried, moved over to hold Raphael's hands reassuringly in a fatherly gesture. But his hands recoiled when he felt the coldness of Raphael's skin. 

"Raphael?" Magnus's heart rate jumped and Alec could feel it. 

"I'm sorry" Raphael held back any tears, "I had to"

Magnus, "My darling boy, who did this to you? You're..."

"Dead?" Raphael let out an awkward chuckle, "I must be the only person to be turned twice"

Magnus glares aggressively as lily, "who did this, I'll kill them!"

"I don't know, he wouldn't tell me, but, Magnus" Lily choked out

"I did this, I did this to myself, who I got to do it doesn’t matter" Raphael admits.

"Why? Why would you do that to yourself? You were mundane, you had a life in front of you, god why would you do this to yourself" tears streamed down Magnus's face and Raphael could no longer hold back himself. 

"There is a war happening, the last war. Where else  _ could  _ I be?"

"You chose to be turned again?" Alec feels a deep pit of despair in his chest, mirroring the feelings of Magnus's. 

"When I regained my humanity, I was ready to leave the shadow world behind but this war doesn't stop at the shadow world. The whole world is at stake! So I could stay in the seminary, live in blissful ignorance for maybe a few months before the mundane world gets dragged in- or I could do the right thing. This! This is the right thing Magnus. Maybe one more vampire won't make a difference but I couldn't stand by and let you, let all of you, face this alone"

"Oh my precious boy" Magnus held Raphael tightly, thankfully Raphael no longer needed to breathe, again.

**\---Scene 11---**

**(smutty/explicit)**

Magnus had been doing his best, yet again, to avoid the situation, choosing to put on Moulin Rouge; good ol' Baz. 

Alec curled up to Magnus and started to let his hands wander, his palm rubbing along Magnus's crotch who is quickly hardening. 

"I thought we were watching a movie," Magnus smiles. 

"Oh you know how we get" Alec smiles back. Magnus melts seeing that face, how could he be anything but filled with love when he is greeted by that infectious smile. 

Alec slowly unbuttons Magnus's pants. One hand wanders up and down Magnus's chiseled abs while the other creeps into his pants, rubbing along the length of Magnus now very hard cock. 

Alec loved that often Magnus chose not to wear underwear and rather opted for tight fitting pants that showed off how much he was packing; he loved people knowing his husband was hung and he was a size queen, and every inch of that delicious dick was his. 

Rubbing the head with his thumb, his fingers wrapped around the meaty girthy shaft, Magnus lets out a low growl as beads of precum leaked. 

Retracting from his abs, Alec's right hand slid under Magnus, lifting his body effortlessly while his left hand pulled Magnus's pants down to his ankles before softly lowering him back to the sofa. 

"You know I have magic for that!"

"Half the fun in receiving a  _ big  _ package is unwrapping it" Alec teased

Alec pumps the large warlock cock in front of him several times, his fingers grazing Magnus's balls on every stroke causing a slight gasp from his husband. 

Alec slowly lowers his face towards the penis, inch by inch. The anticipation makes Magnus shudder when he feels the warm breath lightly caressing the head, a large drop of precum forms at the tip which drips down the shaft and over Alec's fingers. 

"Ugh" Magnus moans as Alec lowers his mouth down, his tongue swirling around the head of his cock. 

His cock feels the vibrations from Alec's mouth as he too involuntarily moans at the sensation of his mouth slowly being filled. Alec always got so much pleasure from having a dick inside him regardless of which hole. 

Alec runs his tongue along the corona of the glans, the textured flesh sending shockwaves of pleasure to the both of them as they brush along his taste buds. 

Magnus can't help but buck up, his hips moving without consent as his dick seeks to bury itself in his husbands throat; there would be time for that soon enough but until then Alec was making sure the head got his attention. 

Magnus grabs a fist full of Alec's hair, as his frenulum is teased by the flickering tip of Alec's tongue. 

Alec continues to tease and pleasure Magnus until Alec pulls off with a string of spit and precum trailing between his mouth and Magnus's penis. 

Alec looks up doe-eyed at Magnus, "tell me what you want?" Alec asks. 

Magnus can't tell if he is teasing or being thoughtful by being so verbal.

"I wanna fuck that throat" Magnus gasps.

"Hmm, I love when you get all verbal" Alec coos. 

"Want me to be verbal? I can draw a silencing rune?" Magnus bites his bottom lip, which he quickly does.

"I want to take care of you babe" Alec rolls Magnus's balls in his left hand, "Do  _ you  _ want to be verbal?"

Magnus nods, every now and again he does enjoy getting a bit verbal during sex and he was in the mood for it.

Magnus pushes Alec back on his cock, with a bit of force, god he needed this. "Yeah take that cock, take every inch of that fucking big cock!" Magnus spits out while running his fingers softly through Alec's scalp. 

It doesn't take long for Alec's lips to reach the base, his tongue sliding out trying to reach those big heavy balls. 

Alec's throat pulses around the shaft and again Magnus can't help but thrust up as if he was trying to see if his cock would come out the other side. 

Alec and Magnus continue to pump the big dick up and down the length of Alec's throat.

"God you look so beautiful with my dick buried in your throat, just look at that, what a sight, I can see my cock stretching your throat every time I push it deeper"

Alec moans deeply, his nose pressed up against Magnus's well groomed pelvis. 

Magnus more and more takes the lead, setting an almost brutal pace but one he knows all too well Alec can take. They continue for quite some time, with Alec eagerly and greedily taking every inch Magnus feeds him, his lips obscenely stretched around the large girth. 

"I swear you were made to worship dick!" Magnus teases lovingly, "hmm? Were you built to take dick"

Alec nods, moaning all the while. 

"Not just any dick either, I'm sure the angels made you to take big dick, my dick! I've never known anyone be able to take a cock like you, your throat and perfect ass was built for this huh? Built to get pounded and bred"

Alec's moans become unbearably loud, which Alec tries to regain control over as he needs to focus on breathing correctly with such a cock stretching his throat. 

With his hands still fisting a load of Alec's hair he pulls his husband off, "You want me to fuck you?"

Alec shakes his head, "This isn't about me, I just want to make you feel good" Alec goes down on the shaft in one fluid motion. 

"Darling" Magnus begs, "I can't do this much longer, I'm so close"

Coming up to breath and answer Alec flashes a brilliant smile, "So come! you wanna come down my throat or..."

Magnus doesn't even let Alec finish, "Not tonight, I think I want to paint that gorgeous face of yours"

"Do it" Alec begs in a soft whimper. 

Magnus grabs his shaft, pumping furiously while Alec stays near the head, his tongue still reaching out and overloading Magnus's senses. 

"I'm gonna..." Magnus starts to take deep shallow breaths, "Fuck, I'm cumming"

Warm cum splashes all over Alec's face, in what seems like a never ending number of squirts. The cum barely leaves an inch of his face uncoated, even Alec's hair is drenched. Magnus rubbed the sensitive cock head against Alec's face, smearing the cum, using his dick to wipe the splodges off Alec's eyelids. 

Magnus leans back on the sofa, in sheer contentment. "That was great"

"Point made?" Alec smirks. 

"There was a point?" Magnus teases, he knows this was Alec's way of communicating, if cock was a language Alec would be a fluent linguist. 

"I can take care of you too. You don't have to be the strong one all the time baby, you don't!" 

The post orgasm bliss starts to wear off as he knows he needs to talk things through with Alec. 

"You mean Raphael?"

"I mean a lot of things Magnus, I need you to trust that I can be there for you like you're there for me" Alec clicks his fingers and cleans up his face. 

"Hey, I liked that look on you!" Magnus jokes as he runs his finger tips over Alec's now clean face.

"Don't deflect, talk to me" Alec pleads with puppy dog eyes. 

"I feel like it's my fault; Raphael" Magnus sighs, "I told him what was happening, I was the one that told him about the war, and he did what he did because of me" 

"No, no baby, it was his choice, you didn't make this happen. If anything it’s my fault" 

"How do you figure  _ that _ ?" Magnus asks

"Why did you talk to him about it all to begin with?" Alec looks somber, "You needed someone to be there for you, for you to rely on, and you were too busy supporting me you didn't feel you could rely on me. But you can Magnus! We're married, yes, I rely on you, but it's ok to rely on me too, we can rely on each other!" 

Magnus wipes a tear from his face, "you're fucking up my make up" he chuckles. 

"Talk to me" Alec begs. 

They spend hours talking, the fears Magnus has, for them both, for their family, for the world. 

Eventually they got to the topic of Alec's suicide mission. Magnus was pissed but also conflicted and torn on the fact that he did understand why Alec had done it. Alec had pointed out Magnus had done the same thing nearly 2 years earlier; chosen to sacrifice himself to save thousands at Alicante when he closed the breach, assuming at the time that he would have been stuck in Edom for eternity. 

Magnus had also expressed his concern about Alec feeling off since his return, that he couldn't remember how he got back with his last memory being of falling, he was also very troubled by the rune he drew on Jia because Clary didn't remember rediscovering it although admitted it was possible it was many of the odd ones from early on which they didn't quite know what they did. 

**\---Scene 12---**

Alec entered the all too familiar scene of a bustling operations room with Magnus in tow. Everyone else, the gang, was already there. 

"Thank God, Alec!" Lydia calls out, "Magnus, hi" she hugs the warlock. 

"What's happening?" Alec finds himself comforted by Magnus who places warm hands on his shoulders. 

"We just had a breach" Izzy calls out

"Where did the fallen hit" Alec says with a deep breath

"It wasn't the fallen Alec" Jace's face twitches and Alec is confused as he feels Jace blocking the bond as if he didn't want him to feel overwhelmed by any emotion he himself was feeling. 

"About fucking time! The Angels breached? Where" Alec said with a sigh of relief. 

"Dortmund" Clary bows her head

"Well the fallen did establish a demon base there recently makes sense" Alec smiles, maybe his actions had finally given the Angels some kind of edge and allowed them to join the fight on this plane of existence. 

"Alec, they, the Angels destroyed it" Simon shudders

Alec looks around the room, confused as to why everyone seemed somber. 

"The base?" Alec raises his right brow. 

"The city" Lydia chokes out. 

Alec's face drops, there's over 600,000 people in Dortmund

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been away, please leave comments. Did you like the chapter? Have you missed the story?


	21. Here we go again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the destruction of Dortmund there is nothing but questions; What happened to Alec? Why did the Angels destroy a whole city? What will the Fallen do next?

**\---Scene 1---**

"You're off" Jace smirks as he lunges at Simon with his sword gracefully gliding through the air. 

"Am I?" Simon winks as he dodges the attack and just as Jace lands, kicks his Ankle so Jace falls to the fall. 

Only Jace rolls the second he hits the floor and is back up with blade raised high. 

"So are you going to tell me what's up?" Jace pants, they've been fighting now for an hour without a moment's rest. Simon has the advantage since he doesn't need to breathe and has fought down the instinct to breath heavily which most vampires still have when being active.

“It's been a busy couple of days, with the aftermath of Dortmund…” Simon starts saying before being interrupted by Jace’s blade as it cuts into the air. Simon is fast enough to avoid it easily. 

“No!” Jace’s pants, “I know you, and Izzy for that matter. This isn’t about Dortmund, this is something since last night! Did you guys have a fight? You guys never fight!” 

"Not a fight exactly. Izzy found out that before I turned I, umm, I donated to a sperm bank" Simon flipped over Jace who quickly spins rounds and blocks his blade. 

"A what bank?"

"It's a mundane thing, you provide a sperm sample, they give you money, then someone who wants kids can buy it" Simon slides between Jace's legs along the floor, raising his blade but Jace just as quickly spins to the side

"Ok, mundanes are... just weird!" Jace's eyes glow as his stamina rune activates yet again

"Izzy ended up breaking into the clinic and stealing the sample, it's in one of our labs" Simon shakes his head. 

"Wow, ok, so you guys are gonna have a kid?" Jace's momentary distractions allow Simon to catch up briefly as his elbow connects to Jace's ribs but Jace dodges before Simon can spin round with the blade. 

"Not exactly, I mean she doesn't want kids right now, but being a vampire that sample is the only way we are going to have kids that are genetically ours." Simon bounces off the wall to dodge a strike. 

"So what's the issue" Jace spins and puts the blade to Simon's throat, "I win" he smirks proudly beforing offering Simon his hand and then passing him a bottle of water and a towel. 

"I'm not sure I want to," Simon shakes his head as he slumps onto the bench. 

"Have kids? Ever or right now?" Jace looks puzzled. 

"Ever" Simon shrugs, "Izzy, she's taken it well, at least she is pretending to have but it's hit her hard I know it has"

Jace nods, "I mean not everyone wants to have kids I guess"

"I'd love to" Simon's face lights up for a moment at the thought, "but..."

"But what? A moment ago you were saying you're not sure you want to now you're saying you'd love to? Maybe you need time to figure out what you want"

"The idea of a little kid, a little bit of Izzy and a little bit of me? It's amazing! But I'm immortal" Simon sighs as he wipes the sweat off his forehead. 

"Oh" Jace realises as he gulps the water. 

"I don't know if I could cope, out living my own child. Hell, I'm scared as fuck about the day I outlive Izzy. I can't see a life without her in it"

"Have guys talked about..., you know" 

Simon nods, "Pulling an Alec and Magnus? Yeah! It's not what either of us want. She doesn't want to be immortal, or semi-immortal, whatever. And I wouldn't want her to be something she doesn't want to be just to be with me."

Simon shrugs as Jace listens to his friend, with an honest and caring face, "But it's still hard to think of losing her further down the line. I don't know if I could do that with kids too."

Simon's eyes water but never quite tear up as he holds back, "I, what's the past tense of Encanto? Anyway I did  _ that  _ to my mother Jace, made her believe I was dead, to protect her from the shadow world. The pain she had from thinking her son had passed away- I never want to go through that"

Jace wasn't really sure what to say, or if there was anything to say to that, instead he just pulled his friend into a sideways cuddle, showing he cared. 

"You're very wet" Simon whispered, noticing how sticky and gross their sweaty bodies mashed together were.

"You could do with a shower too, you smell like a corpse" Jace's took a sharp breath like an aborted laugh and they both let small but meaningful smiles cross their faces.    
  


**\---Scene 2---**

Rafe throws the bow down on the floor frustrated. 

The crisp morning air and bright sun lit up the roof terrace with only the occasional shimmer from the wards reminding them that they were still inside the confines of the HQ. 

"Don't get frustrated honey" Alec kneels next to Rafe who was dressed in all black like his dad. Maxie was content to be doing a colouring book back at the table where they had been having breakfast just half an hour earlier. The table still had a mix of croissants, cheeses, hams, bread, butter and jam. 

Alec picks up the bow and places his hands over Rafe's hands. "It's like anything, darling boy, it takes practise. Now take a deep breath, and hold it, focus on the target"

Rafe stays still, aims carefully and then releases. 

The arrow flies through the air but as it approaches the target, clearly off-course, Alec see's a slight orange glow surrounding the arrow as it shifts and hits the target head on. 

Alec whips his head back to the breakfast table behind them to Maxie who is covering his mouth to try and hide his giggle. 

"Blueberry! You cheeky monkey" Alec smiles at Maxie. 

Rafe laughs "You can't prove it was him" he winks at his little brother. 

Rafe picks up another arrow and keeps trying while Alec goes back to the table and sits with Maxie, hiding a groan and holding his head. Maxie quickly starts climbing up Alec's arm, "I'm not a climbing frame sweetheart"

"My climbing frame" Maxie chuckles and he keeps climbing. 

"Maxie no climbing on daddy" Magnus's signature and reassuring voice calls out from the door to the terrace. 

Maxie climbs down still giggly. 

Maxie grabs a box of toys they keep on the terrace and runs over to Rafe, "Rafe play with me"

Rafe rolls his eyes but with a warm smile agrees as the young warlock gets out a whole mess of toys, trucks, dolls, and an assortment of random things. 

"You ok daddy?" Magnus asks as he sits on Alec's lap, well aware there are other chairs. 

"The pet name just doesn't work now we have kids" Alec teases. 

“You look terrible, this is the second night in a row when I’ve woken up to an empty bed, and fell asleep in one too!” Magnus says pointedly. Alec had been working almost non-stop since Dortmund 3 days ago.

Magnus places his hand on Alec's forehead "Headache?" 

Alec nods as Magnus run's his hand along his forehead and his other against the nape of his neck.

"It's nothing. I umm, I got the silent brothers to use the Soul Sword on me this morning" Alec rubs his face against Magnus's, inhaling the sweet scent of Magnus and that delicious sandalwood shampoo. 

Magnus gulps, "Darling, I thought we were doing that after this morning's council meeting". 

"Didn’t want you to worry, or to wait any longer. Anyway it’s a bust, I wasn’t able to work out how I got back home or why I can’t remember"

Magnus kisses his head before lifting his hand so it is hovering over his head and red magic flows from his hands to Alec's head, like smoke rising from a cigarette. 

"What are you doing?" Alec frowns

"You know I have quite a talent with memories, or did you forget that we first met because you guys were looking for memories the soul sword couldn’t bring back”

Magnus takes a deep breath, "How did you heal Jia?"

"I..." Alec stutters, "I don't know"

Magnus strokes Alec's hair at the back of his head as his other hand continues to use his magic, softly cooing in his ear "hush baby, it's ok?"

Finally Magnus stops, "I've felt this kind of magic before; with Clary"

Suddenly they are distracted by a bouncing Maxie, proudly showing a barbie doll. 

Upon inspection Maxie had taken the leg off of the doll and replaced it with a magically crafted metal one. 

"I made Auntie Izzy" Maxie gleefully declares. 

Magnus and Alec exchange looks, both with a hitched eyebrow. 

"Is this… is this a good thing?" Alec chuckles looking at the doll.    
  


**\---Scene 3---**

"Well this is all very familiar" Maia laughed as she gave a great big hug to Alec and Magnus. 

"It's like a reunion" Bat adds

Magnus gives Bat a pat on the back, "It's been too long Bartholomew"

With Maia on the council Bat has been very much taking the reins with the pack's day to day operations. 

"Maia my dear, you're looking great" Maryse and Luke walk through the door hand in hand. 

"Maryse" Maia smiles, they had found it difficult with the war to meet as often as they had before but there was still a kinship between them with Luke being the former Alpha and Maryse becoming something of a close and supportive ally as a result. 

"How's the little one?" Maia points to the growing bulge. Maryse was starting to show, but only just. 

"It's been pretty plain sailing in all honesty" Maryse smiles. 

"Plain sailing except for the odd cravings" Luke places his big arms around his wife. 

"Oh they're not that bad Lucian" Maryse cuddles up to Luke. 

"Last night you woke me up for pickles dipped in Nutella" Luke rolled his eyes but in truth he was enjoying the experience. Clary was his daughter as far as they were all concerned but one thing he missed was the whole pregnancy experience as a Father; at the time Joycyln had just escaped Valentine. Luke had supported her in hiding but they hadn’t yet got to the point of being a couple; that would take a few more years before they allowed themselves to have a relationship. Despite being so close following Valentine's failed uprising at the end of it all, she had been Valentine's wife and Luke had been her husband's Parabatai. 

Izzy comes out of the garden, "Oh that's not new, you did that with Max, remember?" Izzy hugs her mother. 

Maryse took stock of the room around them; Alec, Magnus, Izzy, Simon, Maia and Bat were there.

"Just waiting on Jace and Clary, Lorenzo and Andrew, Raphael, Elena, Evan and Lily" Magnus points out. 

"Oh we've expanded the team this time round?" Luke adds. 

Over the next half hour more of the group arrives. Magnus and Alec are the perfect hosts, food and drinks provided while they waited to get started. Alec in particular missed the boys but Magnus had been right, this was not the place for kids and besides the boys loved spending time with Cat and Madzie.

"So what exactly does Magnus think has happened?" Simon swirls the blood in his glass. 

"I think they think that an angel must have pulled Alec out of hell. If there are memories there that have been wiped away, then who knows we might just get some tactical knowledge" Izzy shrugs

On the other side of the room Clary found herself engrossed in conversation with Underhill and Lorenzo about wedding plans. Jace didn't want to seem rude but it wasn't exactly an interesting conversation. Lorenzo picking up on this couldn't help but tease him, "I hope you're paying attention Jace, you might find some of these tips useful soon enough!" 

Jace went bright red and Clary couldn't contain her laughter, "Oh babe, it's fine, they're only teasing" 

Jace pulls a playful face and starts walking off and Clary joins him to reassure him having been teased, Jace could be sensitive at times. 

"Jace..." Clary starts before being interrupted. 

"When we get married please tell me we won't have anything as garish as what those two are planning" Jace huffs. 

A wide smile grows over Clary's face as she realises he wasn't annoyed at the suggestion of them getting married but rather the wedding 'tips' Underhill and Lorenzo had been discussing. 

" _ When _ we get married?" Clary cocks her eyebrow. 

Jace smirks, "I mean why wouldn't you marry all of this!" 

"I hope this isn't your way of proposing" Clary smiles

His face turns serious but still very warm for a moment, "No. After!"

"After?" Clary asks intrigued. 

"After the world doesn't end!" Jace kisses her, "I don't want to look back and feel like everything was done because we  _ had  _ to"

"It's a nice thought" Clary smiles with watery eyes, "But with the way everything is going, you can't know that this isn't the end"

"It can't be!" Jace says cockily. 

"Oh?"

"This can't be the end, I won't let it be, because look what is waiting for us on the other side of all of this" 

"That's actually quite sweet" Clary wipes her eyes. 

"Yeah don't tell anyone I'm actually a..." Clary kisses Jace softly before he can finish his words, electricity passing through them, feeling just as magical as their first kiss. 

"actually a romantic softy? Your secret's safe with me" Clary smiles

Alec opens the door to find Evan with his husband; Isak. Alec had met Isak a couple of times during trips to the Nordic Enclave as Inquisitor, mostly being invited to dinner when he was visiting their part of the world. 

"Isak, we weren't expecting you" Alec warmly greets them both. 

"I hope you don't mind but Even and I don't get much time together these days. You keep him quite busy with the council you know!" Isak teases. 

"Sorry about that"

"Ah you must be Isak" Magnus introduces himself. Evan spent much of his time at the HQ these days and like Bat, Isak took on a lot of the day to day running of the Nordic enclave.

"And you must be Magnus Bane"

"Lightwood-Bane" Magnus smiles

"Sorry, Lightwood-Bane. I admit to having an ulterior motive for coming" Isak admits. 

"Isak is somewhat an amateur genealogist," Evan beams proudly. 

"Well my grandmother got herself pregnant by a mundane out of wedlock, it was quite the scandal at the time" Isak explains

"Yeah I remember being told about it" Alec agrees, the scandal had followed the Valtersen family for some time, "Sorry" Alec looks sheepish at his readiness to agree. 

"Don't worry about it" Isak laughs, "I'm a gay shadowhunter, being part of a scandalous family is normal. Or at least it was until you guys shook things up" 

Magnus beams with pride at the fast shift in attitudes, mostly brought about by Alec. Although there had been gay shadowhunters before, Alec's position and family name had forced quite a cultural shift. 

"Well I was always told about my Nephilim heritage but after I got married, I really got interested in my mundane side of the family. And I have a great great uncle who left a diary with the family, mostly about his love for an unknown person with the initials MB. His name was George Fairfax"

Magnus’s face drops slightly, taken aback by the surprising information. 

"I didn't know if maybe you wanted this?" Isak holds out an old book; a diary. 

Magnus takes a deep breath, unsure what to do. 

"Go ahead" Alec smiles softly, threading his fingers through Magnus's. There had been a time when Alec got very jealous of Magnus's past lovers but with him now being half-immortal things had changed. He would be with Magnus for centuries maybe, there was no way Magnus would ever forget him or that he would be another lover in a box.

Magnus shakily reaches his hand out, his eyes inflated but the tears held back, "Thank you Isak" his voice trembles slightly. 

It wasn't much longer before Elena walked in with Lily, Alec noticed the subtle little cues, the hands lingering on Elena's arm, the gazes across the room that were broken whenever anyone looked in either of their direction. 

"About time" Alec elbows his husband, Magnus laughing and nodding in agreement. 

Lastly Raphael arrives, being embraced by Magnus despite the deep sorrow in Magnus's heart at his recent turning. Magnus felt a bit guilty that a part of him liked that he was back in their lives like old times, given what his boy had lost; his one wish, to be human again. 

"Raphael, I'm glad you're here, can we talk after this?" Alec asks

"Talk about what?" Raphael looks at Magnus with a ' _ what trouble have you got for me now' _

"How would you feel about a job?" Alec asks playfully. 

Magnus rolls his eyes, before grabbing everyone's attention, "Now that we are all here, shall we begin?" 

Magnus magically removes the furniture in the living room, except a chair in the centre atop of the Mandala drawn in order to make the spell work. 

Alec sighs and reluctantly takes a seat at the centre of the room.

Everyone else joins hands as Magnus starts performing the spell. Alec knew what to expect but it still felt weird, this heat at the base of his skull, just under the skin. 

Sand sized grains of tiny lights explode into the room.

"Wow, it's like being at a planetarium" Elena smiles with joy, Lily choosing to stand next to her to give her an excuse to hold her hand. 

Magnus coughs to get everyone's attention "So we are looking for a dark orange, almost red light, it might take us some ti..."

"There it is" Simon calls out, nodding his head to a small grain near the floor. 

"Wait, really?" Magnus scrunches his face in surprise, "Huh, I thought it would take longer. Ok everyone, focus on that light"   
  


**\---Scene 4---**

The memory plays out like a dream, fuzzy and unclear. 

_ "Who are you"  _

_ "Abdiel".... _

_ "You're fallen" _

The group looked at each other, concerned, "Wait, Alec was rescued by a Fallen?"

_ "Ithuriel had thought that Clary on her own would be enough, maybe she would have had he not given her all the memories he could but the ones she needed. Sentimental" Abdiel huffs but a slight smile sweeps across his face as he says it, "But I understand why he did- I just wish he was here to see it through. In any case I see now we need you too, both of you"  _

_ "You knew Ithuriel?" _

_ "Knew him? I guess you could say he was my co-conspirator"  _

_ "You're a double agent? You're working on the side of the Angels?" _

_ "No, I don't work for the others, I don't believe in what they do; the collective good above all else, stifling your god given gifts" _

_ "Me and Ithuriel believed in very different things, but there was one aspect about this war we did agree on; beyond our ideological differences" _

_ "Don't keep me in suspense" _

_ "When you're ready!" _

_ Alec huffs, “Well if you wont answer my questions give me something, anything to fight this war, to win it” _

_ “You think in such small terms, there is no ‘winning’ Alexander” _

Magnus growls slightly, no one calls him Alexander except him

_ “There has to be” Alec shakes his head angrily.  _

_ Abdiel seems frustrated, but that particular kind of a parent trying to get a child to understand something.  _

_ “You can’t ‘win’ as you understand it through force, you must…” Abdiel pauses thoughtfully, “Understand your way out of this situation” _

_ “And how the fuck am I going to do that?”  _

_ "I'm going to give you a gift, one Ithuriel gave Clary" _

_ "Please don't tell me it's your entire memories" Alec rubs his head.  _

_ "You're only part Angel, even with Clary's pure angel blood, she is still a lower being, her mind can only access so much of it. Ithuriel shouldn't have put so many memories in there" Abdiel walks up to Alec into his personal space, "I'm only giving you that which you need to know" _

_ Alec gulps, feeling uncomfortable at the invasion.  _

Clary feels unwell watching the exchange. 

_ Alec doesn't trust Abdiel but at this point he has no choice. "And then what?" _

_ "Once you have what you need I'll drop you off at your apartment" _

_ "The wards..." Alec starts _

_ "I can get you through" _

_ Alec's eyes widen, "the fallen can breach our wards?" _

_ Abdiel laughs, "don't panic, I said I can get you through, I and the others can not. Like the barriers between worlds your wards are like nets, it is easier for a lower being to pass through but your wards are impossible for one of us" _

_ Abdiel steps closer, his face an inch or so from Alecs, "You ready?" _

_ Alec nervously nod's as Abdiel places his lips against Alec's and a flurry of red magic moves from Abdiel to Alec who then falls into a deep slumber,  _ his memory ending with it. 

"Oh I'm gonna fuck that fallen up" Magnus mutters under his breath, annoyed at the kiss, even if there was a reason for it.

Everyone looks round the room. 

"That's it?" Simon looks disappointed. 

"Ok, so how do we unlock the information he provided Alec?" Jace asks. 

"You don't" Clary sighs, "it's buried, like my knowledge from Ithuriel, it will surface, when and how we can't know"

"I'm with Simon on this one, it is a bit disappointing" Alec gets out of the chair.    
  


**\---Scene 5---**

"Can we trust your guy?" Jace asks Lorenzo who in turn appears to be offended

"Jace, I can assure you, I am an excellent judge of character!" Lorenzo glares at him, "You can trust the intel my guy sends us. And let's not forget it's one of  _ my  _ warlocks risking his life by going undercover"

Jace nods, realising his phrasing had probably annoyed Lorenzo. It was risky after all, for one of his warlocks to pose as someone who had joined the demons who had recruited many downworlders themselves. 

"The Fallen are not going to stop but they have paused, Alec's attack has really shook them up, especially as our light mines seem to have a more volatile reaction and effect the higher the plane of existence" 

"Do we know how much of a pause?" Jace rubs his head.

"The demons seem to think it will be a week or two before they adapt to a new strategy. The Angel's attack on Dortmund may extend that, I'm sure that will factor into their strategies" 

"Thank you Lorenzo" Jace smiles, "Oh have you seen Under...Andrew?" 

"Were you expecting him?" 

"Not exactly, he has a training session with one of the elite units in an hour. Normally he tends to come in before hand to hang out" 

"Ok good. He'll be there, we talked this morning but I thought he could use a lie in. Your shadowhunter's stamina runes have their limits you know" Lorenzo winks at Jace

"Too much information Lorenzo!" Jace squints his eyes, like he just eat a particularly sour piece of lime

"Oh don't be coy, you're Alec's Parabatai, you must, you know, sense it a bit? You know how large Warlock.... appetites are"

"No, no no no, it's not like  _ that"  _ Jace insists, "I can't feel the sex! I can sense when Alec is, happier for it especially that afterglow moment, which to be fair is all the fucking time with him."

Lorenzo chuckles under his breath. 

Lily moves through the room in a blur, "Op's centre quick!"

"Lily whats wrong" Jace and Lorenzo say in unison

"The Angels, they just hit again"

"Where?" Jace asks as he runs through the halls with the two others. 

"Sudan. They hit Nyala"

Lorenzo stops dead in his tracks, the other two turning to him.

"What is it?"

"Anwar, my guy on the, our undercover agent, he's based at the demon base in Nyala" Lorenzo was crushed. It had taken time to get someone in, so they had chosen Nyala because it was one of the newest and therefore under resourced bases.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think, leave a comment :)


	22. Infected Flesh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the fall of Dortmund the Angels continue to attack and Jace uncovers why, Simon discovers something important about the higher planes and Jia gets back to work

**\---Scene 1---**

"Looks like someone could use a coffee" Magnus smiles softly as he enters Alec's office. 

"Hmm" a distracted Alec utters, "oh no, I'm ok, I've already had six"

Alec looks slightly tired at his desk, it was a much more modern space than his old office in Idris or even the former New York Institute, Magnus was not a fan of it; feeling it was a bit modern, boring and lacking character. 

Magnus looks at the large wall of monitors that allowed Alec to keep track of the war efforts. One large screen had a world map with various markers of institutes, demonic hotspots and now the names of places that had been destroyed in the last 15 days. Magnus felt a deep sense of loss as he saw the names, flashing red; Dortmund in Germany, Nyala in Sudan, Hull in England, Valparaíso in Chile, Allahabad in India and San Diego in the US. 

"How's Raphael settling in?" Magnus asks. 

"He's doing good, been taking the lead on training new vampires from the refugee camps. Honestly I'm glad he didn't want to try and be clan leader again, it would have been too complicated with Lily and that is one complication I could do without" Alec puts his tablet down, "I don't think I'm the only one who could use a coffee?" 

"Should I be insulted by that?" Magnus teases, but he knows he looks a little tired himself. 

"I guess neither of us got much sleep" Alec winked.

"It is quite the challenge all these new responsibilities, especially when you keep me up so late"

"Hey! I refused to be one of those couples whose sex life goes out the window with work, or with marriage or with kids" Alec smirks wickedly. 

"Oh I don't think we are in much danger of that" Magnus laughs loudly. 

"Let's keep it that way" Alec goes back to the tablet with a sigh "I don't know how long we can keep this hidden from the mundanes though" 

"The spells are holding up though right?" Magnus asks with concern

"For now, and the Praetor Lupus's footholds in mundane institutions and governments is helping keep a lid on it"   
  


**\---Scene 2---**

"Jia?!" Lydia seems surprised to see her in her office. 

"Lydia Branwell, Inquisitor" Jia's eyes lit up, "Alec chose well"

"What are you doing here?" Lydia seemed flustered, not expecting to see her

"It feels like only yesterday I was appointing Alec, the clave has moved on, and how much it has changed. Despite the circumstances, the war, for the better" Jia looks round the room almost nostalgic, it was a very different space than the office in Idris, less grandiose but somehow it seemed to fit. 

"Jia?" Lydia said again softly. 

"Sorry" Jia hummed, "I still get somewhat overwhelmed"

"How can I help you, Consul" Lydia offered her a seat which Jia took. 

"I'm not Consul anymore. I'm here for my assignment" Jia hands over a document. 

Lydia looks confused and concerned, she grabs the document and seemingly annoyed grabs her desk phone, "Alec can't be serious! To put you back in..."

"Ms Branwell, I am not the woman I once was, not a fighter or a leader anymore. But I can't sit back during this war and not do anything"

"Alec shouldn't have asked you to do this!" 

"I asked him! I need to help. I need to be a part of this. It's my choice" she looks Lydia firmly in the eye. 

**\---Scene 3---**

Jace looks a state, his usual black ensemble covered in grey dust. Having been at the Port Harcourt Institute for the last 20 hours in Nigeria, the small contingent of demons who had established a base nearby had subjected the institute to almost constant bombardment. 

"Really Renata?" Jace shakes his head as the warlock enters the room with some meat, cheese and a glass of wine, "Is that Iberico?"

The tall woman with pitch black hair and ram horns sat daintily on the rubble, "It's Manchado de Jabugo" 

"We have provisions Renata" Jace pulls out the rations bar from his vest pocket and pointing at it, "It's not like we have the energy to spare on conjuring luxuries" 

"Oh relax Herondale, it takes hardly any energy at all, besides as if I can eat that swill, just because we are at war doesn't mean I can't indulge in some simple pleasures.” 

"Well once you have indulged yourself, would you mind indulging me in reinforcing the wards, I doubt in their current state they will last more than a few hours"

"Fine" Renata huffs as she gets up to go work on the wards. 

An older shadowhunter with salt and pepper hair an exhausted expression on his face enters with a younger shadowhunter who was maybe 18 or 19. 

"Aaron, any luck?" Jace called out to the head of the institute. 

The older man nods, "We were able to get some additional weapons from the nearby graveyard, thank the angel they didn't see us, any news on when we can expect additional reinforcements? Not that I'm not grateful for the men you brought with you"

"Right now, as long as the demons continue to use their wards to block portals I can't see how we can get any more teams in. Not that we're not already spread a bit thin as it is" Jace shrugs as he looks around the dusty room with the 15 others Jace had brought originally. It wasn't much and the institute was not a large one to start with; only 25 shadowhunters were based at Port Harcourt. 

Aaron heads back out, the younger one staying near Jace as he tries to get the sensors and cameras outside functioning again so they can formulate a battle plan. 

"So you're a Herondale?" the young guy asks, a bit nervously which Jace picked up on.

"Yeah, you're Aaron's kid right?" Jace asks, trying to be reassuring. 

"I'm not a kid" he looks down sheepishly. 

"Let me give a word of advice. You're scared? Anxious? You'd be a fool not to be!" Jace looks pointedly, "You'd be a bigger fool to let it control you. Use those emotions, don't let them use you!" Jace smiles softly handing him a seraph blade. 

"Thanks for the tip" he smiles back, "I'm Seb"

Jace politely nods.

"I don't think we would have survived had you and your team not turned up"

"Thank me after we defeat your new neighbours" Jace chuckles.

"How about a drink, after, to umm, thank you" Seb swallows loudly immediately after saying that. 

Jace can't help but smirk "I'm seeing someone... and I'm straight"

"Oh" Seb closes his eyes and scrunches his face slightly in embarrassment for misreading the situation. 

"Don't do that," Jace continues to tap away at the tablet his eyes fixed to. Before Seb can respond Jace looks up at Seb and clarifies, "Don't be embarrassed for hitting on me. It was bold and brave, and bold and brave are exactly the qualities we are all gonna need right now!" Jace pats Seb on the shoulder who smiles and blushes in response. 

"Jace?!" Aaron runs to the room, "Outside!"

Aarons face looks ghost white as the ground starts to tremble. 

Jace drops the tablet on the floor and climbs the rubble to look out the window as he sees several figures gliding through the air a few miles out, a brilliant white glow from their bodies and wings, as if they were bright clouds or made of mist. 

"Fuck, RENATA!" Jace shouts out desperately.

Renata runs in, "The wards won't hold up against Angels, not for more than a few minutes at best" 

"We should escape now, the demons will be distracted by the angels" Seb suggests.

"They are only a few minutes from our location, as long as the demons have the wards up we can't portal out and we can't outrun the angels" Jace stresses. 

"If we get everyone into the ops centre I can collapse our wards to just that one room, it would hold out longer" Renata shakes. 

"We just need to stay safe long enough for the demons to be destroyed so we can portal out" Aaron adds

"How many stones do you have here?" Jace asks as he directs his team to the ops centre. 

"We don't even know if the stones will work on Angels" Aaron's brow furls up. 

"How many?!" Jace glares.

"Two" Aaron's admission shocks Jace, "We're a small institute, we don't get much in the way of resources Jace!"

"It will have to do, Kid go get them, you and me are going to hold them off"

Seb runs out and Aaron shakes his head, in part doubtful of Seb's abilities but also concerned for his son.

"Trust me, Seb has exactly the qualities needed to wield a stone!" 

Jace looks out the window as the loud sound of powerful beams of heavenly fire rains down on the city, they had seconds before they reach them. 

As they all arrive in the ops centre Renata swirls his arms as the wards shrink. 

Everyone falls to the ground as it shakes violently and the walls on one side of the op's centre collapses along with the ceiling, the ward holding but Renata falls to her knees as she becomes drained trying to hold it up. 

"Take my energy, whatever you need" Aaron reaches out his hand to Renata who immediately accepts the offer. 

Jace and Seb grasp the stones tightly and focus intensely. 

Jace's eyes are blown wide, a tear of blood falls from his face as he focuses on the powerful mind ahead of him; more powerful than any fallen he faced. 

"It's working" a werewolf in Jace's team shouts out, his enhanced vision seeing far into the distance as two of the angels stop, causing several of the angels to linger near them to protect them while they continue to rain fire on the city. 

"The demon's wards are down" Renata calls out strained, like every word was painful to speak, "We need to portal out now"

In a matter of moments the entire team was gone, Renata, Aaron, Seb and Jace being the last ones to portal out as they maintained the ward and the attack on the angels.

**\---Scene 4---**

Jia huffs in the heat, it's warm and has been a busy day with Jia working flat out. 

"Jia, you've done enough today, don't you think?" Helen walks into the gazebo. 

"Oh don't you start, everyone is so worried that I will break you would think I am made of glass" Jia groans. 

"You may not be glass but you are still human. Besides I don't really want Aline getting mad at me for letting her mother exhaust herself" 

With a deep inhale of breath, and knowing that she was right she nods, "Just this last one"

Helen shakes her head and agrees, leaving briefly. 

JIa looks through her clipboard, as Helen ascorts a woman into the Gazebo. 

"Janet? Right?"

The woman nodded silently, half vacant, her injuries were superficial and given their stretched resources it meant she was not being treated by warlock magic but rather mundane methods. Her hair was messy and unkempt, a dark blonde. She looked to be in her early fifties. 

Jia tried to size her up, this was not a woman used to hardship and her conscious told her she would be best kept safe by being reintegrated. 

"We're going to take care of you as best we can" Jia reaches out to the woman. "Has it been explained what will happen?" 

The woman shakes her head. 

"You'll be on the next transport to the refugee camp, it will only be temporary, a week at most. Our friends at the Praetor Lupus will set you up with a new identity and a vampire will wipe your mind of your past life. or alter your memories of the event; whichever you prefer. You will be given a fresh start"

"I don't want my mind altered" her eyes inflate. 

"We would still need to have a vampire encanto you however to put a block on your ability to relay the information. Personally I would suggest altered memories, it isn't a nice experience; being able to remember and never be able to talk about it. Either way we can't allow you to be in a position to expose what has happened here, lives depend on it "

"I think someone might notice that San Diego has been wiped off the map" she snaps back. 

"They haven't noticed for 3 days now" 

"Because of the perception filter?" 

Intrigued Jia asks, "How do you know about that?"

"Your people talk amongst themselves, it's not hard to focus and pay attention to the conversations round the corner" 

A smirk creeps on her face, "Yes, the perception filter is why no one has noticed what has happened here"

"What is it?" Janet looks Jia directly in the eyes, "oh come on, it's not like I am going to be able to tell anyone"

"It's a spell, the warlocks adapted it to be deployed large scale after Dortmund" Jia tries to explain it best as she can, "It's kind of like, it directs attention away from the situation, like it is unnoticeable, you know it's there but you don't want to know, and any inconsistencies your brain tricks you into not noticing or forgetting it."

"You didn't make San Diego invisible?!"

"No just, unnoticeable; like if you had a trip planned you'd not be bothered to go or just be a bit forgetful, or you keep not getting round to ringing the aunt you have living there"

"I overheard you’re turning some of the others"

Jia sighs, "Some. It's not exactly something I would recommend. We could give you a new life, a comfortable one, if you let us"

"I don't want that! I don't want to forget my husband or my children" Janets bites her lip hard, "I want to sign on, I want those bastards to pay, they took my family from me"

Jia nods, feeling a great swell of pity for this woman who had her life left in tatters from the war, in many ways so had she. There were only a thousand or so survivors here, and they had lost everything. 

"You can't know what you're asking for"

"I know enough" 

Jia places a reassuring hand on Janet, most would take the new life, to pretend nothing had happened, to forget the pain and hurt, but this woman was stronger, stronger than she gave her credit for when she walked through the door. 

Jia went on to talk about the options of wolf or vampire, and was surprised yet again when Janet asked about being turned into a shadowhunter. 

Since the war had started there had been a lot of development from the clave’s leading scientists regarding the mortal cup and the ascension programme, particularly in light of historical information that had been made available to them from the codex and Simon's team. 

For a healthy person, there was a 95% success rate for turning them into Vampires or Wolves. But to turn a mundane into a Shadowhunter was much harder; few had survived in previous attempts by scrupulously individuals such as Valentine. 

But the work the clave had done had yielded fruit. They now had the means to run tests that would determine suitability. And then a small dose of pure angel blood, donated by Jace and Clary had increased the chances of a successful transformation to 70% 

This was not without opposition in the council, 70% was still risky and had they not been at war it is likely the council would not have approved including Nephilim as a method of turning mundanes. 

"What would it involve; becoming a vampire or a wolf?"

Jia places the clipboard on the table, "Well I'm not allowed to recommend one over the other, I am required by our laws to offer the choices equally. I can tell you, factually, what they would involve. If you turn to a vampire you would be living off blood, sunlight, stakes, all that stuff is true, you would be immortal. Wolves as you know can turn into a wolf form and have heightened sense, agility and strength, but their ability to control their form is closely linked to emotions so you can expect unwanted turns, but you would remain mortal."

"I want to be a shadowhunter" Janet remains firm

"Ok, well let's take the blood test, in the meantime have a think about the other options in case you're not compatible, and we'll arrange transport for the refugee camp until we can proceed" 

**\---Scene 5---**

"With respect delegate, you didn't experience it, the glances from the angel's mind during the attack, it was... overwhelming" Jace speaks firmly as he undergoes a debrief with the council. 

"You mentioned that you were able to glean information about these attacks, is there a pattern? something that will help us understand why they are destroying entire cities?" delegate Evan Valtersen asks.

"It's not just on this plane, it's on all planes of existence. With everything that has happened, and with the fallen having been hit hard by Alec's attack in hell they have become convinced that the only way to stop them is to destroy the demons and all those affected by them"

"Affected?" a wolf delegate asks. 

"We know that where there is a cluster of demons, a base, they exert some kind of influence on the mundane world around them. Where they have established themselves, we are seeing increases in crimes, from theft to assaults to murder." Elena responds

"And that is what is driving this" Jace continues, "They see it like an infection in the body, something that needs to be cut out. And any healthy tissue that is lost along the way is tolerable because it's for the greater good"

  
**\---Scene 6---**

"You missed the council briefing" Alec smiles as Izzy walks into the loft. 

"I saw the minutes, today was exhausting" Izzy jumps on the sofa next to Alec, "Where's my nephews and Brother-in-law" 

"Visiting their grandmother. So how did you get on?" 

"We've processed 9000 so far across all sites, 7000 are being reintegrated but there is a backlog with the resources we have, the rest have chosen to turn" 

Alec flicks his wrists and a cold bottle of beer appears in Izzy's hands and a Martini in his own. 

"Thanks. It’s amazing how much of a natural you are with magic, in another life you would have made a formidable Warlock"

Alec hums in agreement, he starts to tap the glass of his drink, "How was Jia?"

"She was fine, I put her with the San Diego team along with Helen"

Alec chuckles lowly to himself, "I bet Jia loved Helen fretting over her", changing the subject back to numbers he asks "How many Nephilim" 

"Only 143 were compatible but we lost 28" Izzy sighs. 

"We need to get our people working on improving the process"

"That's all well and good but Clary and Jace only have so much blood they can donate" 

Alec hums in agreement. 

Izzy sighs as she takes off her artificial leg."That's better"

Alec pulls a somewhat bizarre face between amusement and grossed out. 

"Oh please" Izzy teases. 

Just as they both start to relax their phones start buzzing, a red warning screen flashing on both of them. 

"Here we go again" Izzy quickly fastens her leg back on as Alec opens the door of the loft. 

In the corridor they run to the elevator, all the while Izzy bemused by the other apartment doors that for some reason Magnus kept, even though there are no apartments there since he moved the loft to on top of the HQ tower. 

When they both arrive Evan is present in the ops centre. 

"What do we have?" Alec calls outs

Evan spins round, "We have a breach over Poznań" 

"Poland?" Alec seems confused, "There's no demonic bases anywhere near Poznań"

"No but that's where the Iron sister relocated their operations after Idris, Evan can you show me the energy signatures" Izzy looks at the screen, "It's a Fallen attack"

"How close are they?" Alec's voice was full of concern. 

"They are already on top of the city," Evan growls, frustrated. 

"Tell which ever teams are currently active to join me in the portal rooms" Izzy starts to walk off at speed 

"They'll have wards, they always do!" Alec points out. 

"I have to try!"

Alec nods as she continues out of the ops centre. 

"We haven't seen a fallen attack since before you went to hell" Evan finds himself placing his hand against his mouth, biting on one of the fingers. 

"Guess they decided to strike back following the Angels attacks on demon bases" Alec starts typing away at the computer to bring up satellite feeds. 

Alec drops down into the chair in shock. 

"Looks like they've taken a page out of the Angels book" Evan shakes his head, eyes closed at the sight of the feed. 

Alec nods slowly, "Fuck". His face becomes a white as a ghost at the sight of a city burning in hell fire- utterly obliterated. 

  
**\---Scene 7---**

Alec walks into the study, littered with books and papers and scribbles on white boards. The Vampire so deep in concentration that he hadn't even noticed Alec walk in. 

"Simon?" Alec tapped his foot. 

"Alec! You came!" Simon stood up and straightened himself out. 

"I'm assuming this is important? You didn't really say in your fire message. It better be because right now we are really tied up with Poznań" Alec looked at the Vampire, who seemed more skittish than normal and he was quite the jumpy energetic ball of nervous energy; he was kind of like a puppy. 

"It is!" Simon grabbed Alec's hand firmly and started pulling him towards a white board.

Alec rolls his eyes, it's like something he expected Rafe to do when he wanted to show him something interesting he found.

"There" Simon points at a section of garbled text which Alec just shrugs at. "Alec, I'm pointing right at it"

"Simon just tell me what you found" Alec sighs.

"At the higher planes... the barriers have totally collapsed"

Alec feels sick, this was much faster than they thought. 

"That's not even the strangest bit" moving his eyes back and forth between Alec and the board, hoping Alec would see what he was seeing.

Alec looks annoyed, everything is going to shit, can't Simon just talk straight, "This isn't 21 questions Si"

Simon blows out a lung full of air exasperated, "This happened 2 months ago"

"What? How did we not know this?" Alec asks, a tone of anger unleashed in his words which makes Simon jump back. "I don't mean like that". Alec isn't blaming Simon but how did the barriers collapse at the higher planes so long ago. 

"Alec, the magic, energy, whatever, that the codex run's off of is tied into the barriers!" Simon's eyes widen, waiting for Alec to keep up. 

"So why have we still been getting information through the codex from planes where there are no barriers?" Alec nods starting to catch on. 

"Someone is helping us?! Someone is trying to maintain the codex so we still know what is going on" Simon smiles. 

"And look here" Simon points at another section, "It wasn't just the Fallen trying to stop us accessing the codex, the Angels were trying to keep it out our hands too"

"How so?" Alec is now even more confused if that is possible. 

"When we had to go through other dimensions to track it down, the Angels kept trying to speed up the process of the codex jumping between dimensions. They were trying to keep us from finding it!"

"Ok, let's assume you're right" Alec rubs his head, 

Simon butts in "If neither the Fallen or the Angels wanted us to have it, who is helping to maintain the codex?"

"You think it was Abdiel?" Alec nods

"Bingo! When the barriers at the higher planes fell, no more attempts to stop us"

Alec takes a deep breath, "The Angels and Fallen thought that the codex had been rendered inert!"

"Exactly! They don't know we are still accessing information on the higher planes!" Simon says gleefully 

"So the question becomes?" 

"What is in the codex, or what could be in the codex, that both the Fallen and the Angels don't want us to see or know?"


	23. Nothing Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Fallen attack Hong Kong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying something new!
> 
> In this chapter there are some maps to help you locate where the action is taking place!

**\---Scenes 1 to 5---  
** View [map of the battle](https://www.google.com/maps/d/drive?state=%7B%22ids%22%3A%5B%2213UlugIUfqZ_7QHds2Ivdngam1oTbzPaA%22%5D%2C%22action%22%3A%22open%22%2C%22userId%22%3A%22116333343516246199356%22%7D&usp=sharing) (don’t click on a location until you get to that part of the story or you will get spoiled!)   
**\----------------** ****

**\---Scene 1---**

Alec walked like a man on a mission, which of course he was. Reaching the top of tower two of the International Finance Centre in Hong Kong he looked to Kowloon on the other side of the waters, "I want more demon towers at the ICC and Victoria Dockside" 

A Nephilim General nods and portals out of sight.

Alec knew that the Fallen would be heading to Hong Kong's central and western district where the Clave had set up the bulk of their armament manufacturing.

The advantage of an attack so close to their armaments meant it was easy to deploy the weapons they had. 

"Alec!" Lily landed from flying, her wings melting into her body and her alliance rune still glowing, "We need to get the light mines out of the city"

The light mines were no doubt why the Fallen had chosen to target the city, but they were unstable, sensitive and difficult to produce which was why Lily was keen to get them out. 

"We both know we can't portal them out safely"

"Not all of them but we risk losing all of them"

"Our priority is evacuating the mundanes, we leave just one light mine here and it goes off during the attack and innocent people die!" Alec snaps, "Besides, even if we get them all out the Fallen wont know that and they will kill every man, woman and child in the city. The evacuation is the priority, get on board or get out of the way"

Lily sulks, shakes her head and flies back off to where she is leading a group of about 800 downworlders and Nephilim near the Highcliff skyscraper, making sure that the Fallen can't outflank the Clave by going round the Island and moving north. 

This was a risky venture but Alec couldn't ignore over 7 million lives at risk. 

As he makes his way back to the make shift command base he greets Elena and Jace who are supervising the set up of the operations unit on the 65th Floor. 

"How are we doing?" Alec calls out

"70% evacuated, got a small unit of warlocks who have commandeered ships from Macau and will be here within the hour" Jace responds without looking up from his laptop as he works on getting the demon towers calibrated with the new ammunitions based on the Fallen weapons designs the Clave had previously acquired from Ports Moresby.

The computers start beeping loudly. 

"What's happening?" Elena asks

"Multiple signals Mam, coming from Discovery Bay and closing fast" the technician responds, "they're not heading to Mount Davis?"

"They're assuming we have our defenses based there" Elena shakes her head annoyed, they did, kind of, one of the few stable light mines had been placed there but Alec had argued that it would be an obvious choice and that the Fallen would instead go along the northern border of the Island between the Island and the Kowloon peninsula.

"Are my towers in position?" Alec looks at Jace as he types furiously. 

"All but two" Jace tenses up

"Get them up Jace" Alec pulls out his comms unit, "This is Consul Lightwood Bane, Stone bearers, wait until flares, we want them trapped by the demon towers on both sides of the water"

"Damage control parties?" Alec looks to Elena

"They're all in position" 

"Right, Darken the city" Alec issues the order as one of the operators activates a bunch of controls. 

**\---Scene 2---**

Meliorn's wings twitch as the lights go out across the whole city, hazy shapes of the looming skyscrapers are just about visible in the moonlight. As a Seelie the towers of glass and concrete were an uncomfortable setting, away from nature.

The clouds and mist along the water helped to further darken the surroundings. It was eerie and quiet, the water was still and the tension unbearable. 

The Seelie knights incapable of flight were given control of the demon towers around the convention tower and exhibition centre just to the east of Alec's location. 

"Remember, short, steady bursts" Meliorn orders, "here they come” feeling the air around them start to change. 

Dozens of flares shoot into the night sky, half a mile up before they start to slowly fall down, illuminating the 150 or so Fallen in the air and just the tips of the tallest buildings.

The lights of the flares are soon joined by bright pulses from the demon towers. 

The scores of towers shooting in different directions fills the skies above them with chaotic lights, like a swarm of bees dancing in the moonlight.   
  


**\---Scene 3---**

Clary weaves in and out of the weapons fire, shooting powerful beams of light from both her hands, her eyes glowing wondrously as she hits a large fallen with enough force to knock it out of the sky. 

The fallen angel, ablaze and injured, skims along the side of Victoria Tower 2, smashing the windows and the concrete of the 20th Floor before it collapses into a black haze that shortly vanishes as it is killed. 

Clary flies back up along the building front, at great speed but careful not to get in the way of the various demon towers and units firing into the night sky  
  


**\---Scene 4---**

Alec looks at one of the monitors with a face of surprise, "Why haven't the fallen raised wards?"

"No need to" Elena shrugs, "We raised ours the moment they breached, no one can portal"

"Got them!" Alec looks almost smug, "Look" he points at another monitor, the Fallen were congregating just off from Stonecutters Island, no doubt planning to overwhelm the defenses on the peninsular so they weren't being trapped between the weapons fire from both sides of the water. 

Alec brings up his communicator, "Lorenzo, I want you to prep a light mine for immediate deployment"

"Alec?" the muffled voices call out, "The wards!"

"I know, on my signal the wards will drop and I want a mine portalled to the coordinators I'm sending you now"  
  


**\---Scene 5---**

Luke notices the fallen moving away from the ICC where he is firing angelic light, noticing the bulk of the fallen north-west from his current position, "By the angel" he exclaims. He knows they are about to go round and overwhelm them. 

Suddenly a bright explosion of light comes from the horde of Fallen, it's bright enough to make the late night sky shine like it was day time. 

Unholy screeching like nails on a chalkboard ring through his head as he shields his eyes from the momentary flash of light. When he looks over the ledge at the dozens of remaining Fallen they shimmer and fade as they retreat.   
  


**\---Scene 6---**

Jace walks into the small room Alec stands in, "You ok?"

Despite the major victory at Hong Kong he sensed Alec's unease.

Alec shakes his head subtly, his eyes wander across the displays, "The hall of remembrance" he tuts, "It's pitiful"

The room was no larger than a board room, it was the only space they could spare. Along the walls, small shrines dedicated to each place the Angels and the Fallen had destroyed.

  
**\----------------**  
View [map of cities destroyed in the war](https://www.google.com/maps/d/drive?state=%7B%22ids%22%3A%5B%221KVnqhQX55fP2hM8W1Gfr5_JAuicnsVgh%22%5D%2C%22action%22%3A%22open%22%2C%22userId%22%3A%22116333343516246199356%22%7D&usp=sharing)  
**\----------------**

Alec continues to look at the small shrines, many shadowhunters came to reflect, gather strength or mourn. 

Alec looks at the doll on the Dortmund shrine, the first city to fall to the Angels, the doll is half melted with its hair matted and dirty. 

Alec continues to look at these small shrines, tiny, on tables in a small room because there is nowhere else for them to go. His eyes wonder, at each city in order of their destruction;

Dortmund in Germany, Nyala in Sudan, Hull in England, Valparaíso in Chile, Allahabad in India, San Diego in the US, Port Harcourt in Nigeria, 

He pauses at the broken shard of a Iron sister's tools from Poznań in Poland where the Fallen started striking back.

Alec continues along the shrines; Winnipeg in Canada, Lyon in France, Belém in Brazil.

He stops and softly touches the charred wedding ring found at Volgograd in Russia.

Kumba in Cameroon, Odessa in Ukraine, Santiago in the Dominican Republic.

Alec sighs heavily, their resources would only stretch so far, they could only keep this hidden so long. 

Jace pauses before walking round to face his brother, "How many at Belém?"

Alec looks confused, "What do you mean?"

"How many died?"

Alec takes a deep breath, "400,000"

"Out of how many?" Jace gazes at him. When he fails to answer he presses him again, "Out of how many?"

"2 million within the evacuation zone including Ananindeua" Alec shrugs

"You saved 1.6 million" Jace says pointedly

"I didn't _ save _1..."

"Stop arguing with me!" Jace snaps, "How many died at Odessa?"

Jace continued, pointing out that 820,000 were saved in Odessa by using vampires to encanto them to believe there had been a city wide evacuation due to a chemical plant leak. 

"Only because of the codex!" Alec snaps back, they both knew that the bigger the breach the longer it takes for higher beings to travel through the barriers. And the more notice they had the more time they had to evacuate. "I wouldn't call that a victory"

"Isn't it? How many people have we saved because of how we reacted to that information" 

"And what about Winnipeg" Alec stares him down, "less than 500 made it out alive!"

Jace rolled his eyes frustrated by Alec's self pitying. "There had only been 8 Angels!"

"Yes I know! The more of them, and the more powerful they are, the harder it is for them to break through" Alec sighs

"And the easier it is for the codex to pick it up." Jace gives him a stern look, "How could you have done any better!"

"And as the barriers disintegrate it will become more easier for them to breach. There will come a time we won't get any notice they will just manifest as and when they please. I just, I'm doing everything and it's not enough, we can't win" Alec sits down with a thump; exhausted. 

Jace drops to his knees. Holding Alec's hands he looks gently into his eyes, "Listen to me Parabatai, this isn't about winning, not anymore, in all likelihood this is it, this is the end, the last war"

Alec scrunched up his face, "I never knew you felt like that. I failed you. Failed all of them. Even with Hong Kong everyone is giving up hope we can win"

Jace places his forehead on Alecs, close enough to feel his breath on his chest, "No, that's not the point! You think I fight because I want to win?"

Alec keeps his forehead against Jace's and rubs his eyes that are welling up

"I do what I do because it is right! And above all it's human! The best of our humanity at a time when I am so ashamed of my angelic lineage"

Alec holds Jace's hands tightly as Jace continues "If I give up, people die, if I take a stand, some might live! I don't know how many or for how long, but it's the best I can do. So I'm going to keep doing it until it kills me."

Alec's eyes glaze over, "Urgh I hate when you get all pep talky"

"No you don't" Jace smiles as he lifts Alec up  
  


**\---Scene 7---**

Magnus hears the sounds that have become too familiar, still in a silk gown he glides into their bathroom and rubs his hands along Alec's back as Alec takes a moment before the vomit rises through his throat again. 

When it finally stops, Alec takes deep breaths, his skin cold and clammy. "I wish you would take one of my potions?" Magnus speaks softly, "or, maybe speak to someone?"

Alec turns his head and gives Magnus a look, "You think I'm losing it?" he'd roll his eyes if he had the energy for it. 

"No, darling, no. But you are under so much pressure, and it's clearly affecting you" Magnus says with deep tones of hurt and worry. 

"This isn't stress" Alec sighs

"You've been throwing up every morning for a while now" Magnus smiles softly, "You tell me what this is?"

"You finally got me pregnant?" Alec laughs before immediately regretting it and swirling tap water in his mouth to spit out the after taste. 

Magnus tries to keep it light as possible for Alec, but they do need to talk seriously, "Don't tease, if I knew that was a risk I would have used protection"

"If I knew that was a risk I would have begged you not to" Alec smirked

"So if we are ruling out stress and pregnancy, why do you keep throwing up" Magnus brushes Alec's damp hair to the side, being gentle as if Alec was made of porcelain. 

"Ever since ..." Alec places his head against Magnus's toned chest, seeking out that heart beating under their wedded union/Alliance runes.

"just after Poznań?" Magnus asks

Alec nods

"Because of the Fallen? It was their first city" Magnus pleads with Alec to open up. 

"No" Alec wipes tears from his eyes, "I can't explain it, it's like there is something under my skin, something on the tip of my tongue, a thought I can't have and every time I feel it within reach it makes me feel sick to the core"

Magnus shoots a concerned look, "Maybe there is some knowledge from Abdiel that you can't access. Or maybe you don't want to?"

Alec scrunches his face, _ Really _? was all he could think. 

"Look we know that Abdiel gave you some of his ancient knowledge, he is a Fallen after all, they've done terrible things, maybe there is a part of you that doesn't want to know"

**\---Scene 8---**

"You want me to do what?" Lydia huffs. She looks frazzled and exhausted. She knew when she took on the role of inquisitor during the middle of a war it would be hard work but it had aged her, She had already noticed a small number of grey hairs coming through. 

"I want you to issue a pardon to Cleophas Greymark" Alec says calmly. 

"Alec, you gave me this job to ensure law and order, not an easy task during a war I'm sure you'll agree. It feels like I spend more time issuing pardons than enforcing the law" Lydia sighs. 

"This war has been demanding. On all of us. Perhaps you more than many others; I know the pressures you have been under Lydia" 

Lydia sits at her desk, rubbing her forehead, "Don't patronise me Alec"

Alec pulls his chair up closer to the desk, "I'm not, I'm being sincere, I know how much I've asked of you, how much the clave has asked of you"

"We've pardoned so many in exchange for their co-operation, and released so many of the others deruned and encantoed. You've always trusted my judgement to make that call" Lydia points out. 

"And I trust that judgement now, I'm asking you to consider it, with so many of the Iron Sisters lost, we need every weapon expert we can get, especially with us incorporating the new runes and tech"

"She also murdered a fellow Iron Sister, betrayed us to Valentine" Lydia studys Alec's face carefully, "And we don't know where she is after she went underground, do we?"

Alec kept his composure, "She did kill and betray the clave, yes. And you're right, I don't know where she is"

"I'm not a fool Alec, I know what happened with the heavenly fire project, did she reforge glorious? It always seemed odd to me that Clary and Jonathan's bond was broken so soon after the heavenly fire project incident. And I know enough about our history to know glorious was what broke the bond between Lucifer and Michael"

Alec nodded in agreement, "You're right, you are not a fool, I'm sorry if my actions ever suggested you were"

Lydia rolls her eyes slightly, "I know when you have not included me it's not because you are treating me as a fool, it's because you're protecting me Alec. It is one of your most admirable qualities, if somewhat an annoying one"

Alec smiled, a somewhat please smile not dissimilar to the smile he wears whenever Magnus tells him he has done good or looks cute. 

"I'll consider the pardon, _ consider _! I'm not promising anything" Lydia folds her arms, "assuming she can be found if we do pardon her"

"Thank you!" Alec smiles softly. 

"While you're here, I have other matters to discuss, the refugee project, anyone who has turned, with a legal or similar background, unless they are best served on the front lines, I want them!" Lydia starts to soften and smile, "I'm stretched here, I could do with the help and I need analytical minds working for me more than warriors" 

"Done" Alec shrugs, it's no big problem for him. 

"Anything else?" Lydia asks pointly.

"Yes, dinner at mine and Magnus's place. When was the last time you had a good meal?" Alec flashes a charming face. 

"I'm not sure if I should be insulted by that?" Lydia laughs. 

"Please don't be, we've been so busy of late, I'm just worried about a friend"   
  


**\---Scene 9---** **  
**

The two bright lights dance and swirl around each other in the shape of a double helix in perfect synchronicity, before heading to the top of a limestone ravine at their training site in Yorkshire, England.

Izzy and Clary's wings glowing feathery wings melt back into their body. Their panting from the exertion quickly remedied by golden glowing eyes and stamina runes. 

Izzy looks up to the sky, the others, some 3000 flying Nephilim, Vampires and Wolves, flying in formation. They were just over Malham Cove and within moments were weaving along the ravine of Gorsdale Scar, a few of them getting too low and skimming the water of the waterfalls. ****

**  
**\----------------  
View [map](https://www.google.com/maps/d/drive?state=%7B%22ids%22%3A%5B%221HC9WZFSV3xy2bZ6wsUEyW7HsdzjiEznp%22%5D%2C%22action%22%3A%22open%22%2C%22userId%22%3A%22116333343516246199356%22%7D&usp=sharing)  
\----------------

"I have to say, I'm impressed by how fast Dean has taken ato this" Izzy looked on impressed. He had been a mundane survivor of the attack in Hull which was not too far from their current location. Having survived and been turned as a wolf, he had offered his services as a retired Typhoon pilot Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force to train the combined downworlder/clave-in-exile forces in air combat. 

Clary nodded, "Seems we are surplus to requirements". They had been sent to support the programme, one of three in Western Europe as the council had pushed for everyone able to wield the winged rune to be trained. It had been one of the most effective and useful runes Clary had rediscovered, even if not everyone in the combined forces were able to wield the rune it was a major advantage.

"It's beautiful out here, peaceful" Izzy gazed out along the sprawling green landscape. 

Clary chuckles as she pulls out a flask, "Don't go thinking about retirement just yet Parabatai, we've got a war to win. Besides don't you like being secretary of intelligence"

Izzy rolls her eyes, "You brought coffee? Good I've been having major caffeine cravings" 

Clary smirks, and doesn't say anything, knowing her Parabatai could read her face like a children's pop up book. 

"It's Gin isn't it?" Izzy laughs

"Well you did say this would be a girl's trip. Seemed like the thing to do"

Clary leaned into Izzy's side, her white plain top was damp from the water vapour in the clouds they had spent hours flying through. Izzy's own top was also damp but as it was a dark deep maroon colour it didn't really show. 

"So, you're going to talk to me about the whole, Simon situation?" Clary bit her lip. 

"Ah, so that's why there is Gin?" Izzy looked down at the red mess of hair on her shoulder. 

"Don't pretend you're not ready to talk about it. I waited until you were. And you know that you're ready because...Parabatai, I can feel you're finally ready to talk about it" Clary passes the flask to Izzy who takes a gulp. 

"I'm annoyed that Simon's position on the whole baby thing makes sense? It would be easier if I could be angry with him but I totally understand why he is in the place he is in"

Clary gets it, it would be easier in some ways if Simon was just being a stubborn ass and Izzy could then just be angry about the whole situation. 

"Just remember that he feels like this now, and while he might never change, he also could. But look at Alec and Magnus with Rafe, sure Maxie will live as long as they do, if not longer, but they know that life with Rafe will not last. Heck, before their bonding, Magnus knew what life would be like with Alec, back when Alec was mortal." Clary takes some of the GIn herself. 

"Magnus had hundreds of years to get used to it. I don't have that length of time for Simon to get used to it if we are ever to have a baby." 

"I could always kick his ass for you? Sure things have changed a bit, but one thing that hasn't is my ability to kick his ass since the 5th grade" Clary laughs and Izzy follows.   
  


**\---Scene 10---**

The sky was gloomy above Angel Square as Zara Dearborn looked out over the once bustling heart of Idris from the balcony of the Accords Hall, a city of once 60,000 were filled with only 6000. 

Her once hazel eyes now grey with a faint murky brown tint which one could only see if studying her face close up. 

Her face was gaunt and looked somehow twisted but no one could objectively say why.

With a deep inhale she turns round when she hears the door to the chamber open. Manuel Villalobos, the vicious power hungry man who had helped her father banish the clave, brings a shackled woman into the room and throws her to the floor face down.

"Oh, my dear friend, what a disappointment you have turned out to be" Zara shook her head as she forcefully and painfully gripped her Jaw. Jessica Beausejours had been a part of her most trusted friends and helped Zara herself gain the influence she now had. 

"You were betraying me" Zara spat, "You were trying to tunnel out to see that traitor, the Whore of Bane, the great corrupter, you were trying to get to Alexander Lightwood"

Jessica managed to get to her knees and then awkwardly managed to stand despite the restraints. "I was hungry, I was trying to get to the fields, see if I could get something" 

Zara focused on her face before placing her hand to Jessica's neck, her eyes glowed red as she burnt a rune on Jessica's neck, red like a recent wound. "Swear it- you can not lie to me, not with this rune" 

Jessica looked into her eyes, "I swear it"

Zara sighs, "You have not embraced them, what more must they do to win your trust"

Jessica is a deer in headlights, too scared to move or to talk, her face white. 

With a wave of her hand Zara produces an apple, "The real angels have elevated me, they could elevate you too old friend. Here take it" 

Jessica reaches out and knows what will happen, it always happens. She looks at the apple longingly. 

"Eat" Zara's booming voice reverberates around the room and Jessica quickly bites into the apple. 

"Now tell me what you taste" Zara closes her eyes in anticipation. 

Tears fall down her face as she bites into it, because any food conjured by those who have embraced the fallen always tastes the same to those who have rejected or yet to give in to those temptations to become 'demon'- not that Zara or Horace ever saw it that way. 

"Like ash" Jessica whimpers as she eats the fruit. The texture, the taste, she would swear it was ash. The first time this happened and she spat it out she was confused and even took to eating in front of a mirror to try and prove it was ash in her mouth. 

"Because you still cling to the imposters, the ones who tried to hide our true destiny from us, the real angels who seek to lift us up from the ashes. Why do you not accept them, after everything my father has showed us"

"Your father is dead" Jessica trembles as she says it, knowing before it happened the harsh slap that would strike her face. 

"My father is with the angels, and he will return when the time is right" the fallen had told her that her father had important work to do in the higher planes when he left to collect Alec, that he would return once the important work he had to do was completed and that Zara had work to do; giving her designs to something most foul. 

"Get her out" Zara shook her head as a guard from outside came to drag her away while Manuel stayed. 

"You brought me a decoy it would seem Manuel" Zara bit her tongue. 

"I'm sorry, our intelligence was that she was trying to get the plans to Alec" Manuel kept his composure

"You saw the rune, she was telling the truth" Zara looked out onto the empty square again. 

"Still, she broke the law and attempted to leave the city. Should we send her to work the fields like the other prisoners?" Manuel inquires. 

"What's the gossip?" Zara asks flatly. 

"Mam?" 

"What do people think happened, what are they saying in the workhouse, in the taverns, in the kitchens?" 

"The rumour was that she was trying to sneak sensitive information out, not that anyone knows about the designs, clearly that is wrong, likely a distraction from the charlatan" 

"A rather appropriate name for the leader of the resistance" 

"They are at best a small handful mam, we will find them out and have them brought to justice" Manuel promises, "those traitors should have left with the others"

"Don't send her to the fields, arrange for a public execution tonight. A hanging from this balcony should send a message"

"Mam?" Manuel's face finally looks concerned and terrified. 

"The public thinks she is a traitor, we need to show them what we do to traitors. And the resistance has given us a scapegoat, if we take it they may think that takes the pressure off them, they could slip up" the entire time Zara remains completely neutral in the face of ordering the execution of a friend. 

"Oh and Manuel, when we get to the hanging, slice the abdomen. I think it will leave a stronger impression of how we handle traitors with the bowels out don't you think?" 

Zara returns to her desk as she continues the studies of her design, a chalice of glass and black demonic metals, adorned with new demonic runes gifted by the fallen; the infernal cup.  
  


**\---Scene 11---**

**(Smutty/Explicit)**

Magnus's eyes are transfixed on the book he is reading in bed but the soft moans from Alec still distract him. They are not moans of a man horny but rather someone comfortable and content. 

Alec's head is pressed up against Magnus's abs as Alec, with his eyes fluttering as he starts to fall asleep, continues to nurse on Magnus's cock. 

Even soft Magnus was a good 7 inches, large enough to fill Alec's mouth. 

Putting the book down Magnus combs his fingers through Alec's hair, still slightly damp from the sex they had not too long ago, even after Alec had dried himself up magically. 

He could swear his husband was purring as he lazily suckled on the soft penis in his mouth. 

"Content darling?" Magnus coos as he bends down to kiss Alec's damp hair. 

Alec nods and softly moans in agreement. It wasn't the first time Alec had nursed Magnus's cock after sex until he fell alseep. 

"Did you suck your thumb as a child? When you went to bed?" Magnus pondered out loud. 

Alec just shrugs ever so slightly as he continues to gently massage the delicious cock filling his mouth up. 

Alec's eyes darted open when he heard the door open. 

"Oh" A starled Jace exclaims as he barges in. 

Alec reluctantly lets Magnus's penis slip out, "If you're going to come to our home, without knocking, late at night, you're going to see dick Jace! And most probably in my mouth or ass!" Alec sighed, annoyed at the interruption. 

"You didn't answer your phone" Most people would be flushed with embarssment but Jace, he had seen this way too many times now, and Alec had stumbled onto him having sex many times too; especially when they were younger. 

Alec reaches out trying to find his phone near the bedside table only to find it on the floor, seemingly crushed. "When did that happen?" 

Magnus cringed, "was it in your back pocket earlier? when I..."

"Oh, shit" Alec recalled being pushed back hard against the wall when Magnus had lifted him up and pinned him between the wall against his back and his cock which was deep in Magnus's mouth. 

"Do you want me to" Magnus twinkled his fingers like it was a jazz hand. 

"NO!" Alec shook his head, magic and technology seldom worked well together, fixing a broken phone was more likely to cause other issues or faults, "I'll get a new one from Ops"

"Simon has something" Jace interrupted, "Maybe you both want to get dressed?"

Jace turns round to give them some privacy when Alec swings him back round almost as fast. Jace was surprised to see him fully dressed. 

"That was quick"

"Magic" Alec smirked. 

Jace looked over to Magnus who was getting dressed the mundane way as he was distracted rooting through the bedside draw for the baby monitor. Not that their boys were babies but sometimes an urgent and brief issue cropped up that made them have to leave for short periods so Magnus's powerful wards and the monitor came in handy. 

"Just get to the Codex lab, SImon and the others are already waiting" and with that Jace left the room. 

"Really?" Magnus smirks, "You cast a glamour to make Jace think you had clothing on?"

"That way you get to see this perfect tight little hole while we speak to the others"

"Darling, it sounds important, I think you should get some _ real _clothing on?"

Alec huffs, "you spoil all my fun"   
  


**\---Scene 12---**

Alec was alert by the time he reached the lab with Magnus. Jace, SImon, Izzy, Clary and Elena were all there. 

"It's bad," Izzy gulped as she reached her hand out to her brother’s. 

"Another breach?"

The room was full of quiet nods. 

"Fallen or Angels" Jace asks, having arrived only moments before Magnus and Alec. 

Simon stood out of his chair, his face paler than usual, which was saying something for a vampire. 

"The Angels" he chokes out. 

Magnus places a reassuring hand on his husband's shoulders, "When?"

"Ten days" Clary stutters out, her eyes red and puffy, clearly she had been crying at first. 

"Ten days?" Alec shakes his head, "You've made a mistake. For a breach to take that long, especially with the barriers failing more and more by the day..."

Izzy looks Alec dead in the eyes, "Alec, it's ten days, we've all checked it ourselves"

"The only way a breach would take that long is if we were talking about a very large and very powerful... How many"

Simon looks around the room, hoping someone else would tell him, too shaken by the information to want to, but nevertheless it needs to be said, "All of them?", his inflection rising up as he says it, he clears his throat, "All of them Alec, from what I'm seeing here, it looks like they are all coming"

"I guess they decided to take a new approach" Elena chimes in. 

"They will breach just south of Tokyo, Sagami Bay we think" Clary's voice is raspy. 

"There are Demon bases all over the Kantō region, not just Tokyo but Yokohama, Sagamihara, Chiba, Saitama, Kawasaki" Jace feels like he is about to throw up. The Angels would likely work their way northwards from the bay and systematically take out everything.

The region had become a major launching platform for the demons in the eastern hemisphere. 

"Which puts thirty to forty million in the killing zone" Izzy adds

Alec's eyes welled up, in a way Izzy had only seen when Idris was under attack and Alec thought Magnus was lost to Edom. 

With a trembling finger running along Alec's lips his body became firm, still, as his vision was clouded by sparkling lights. 

With a ferociousness in his eyes he moves aggressively towards the desk Simon was at, causing the vampire to speed behind Izzy, "Hey don't shoot the messenger" 

Alec looked at him sideways, letting out a puff of air from his nose that made his chest expand like he had had a hiccup. It was like something Simon said amused him and laughter would have erupted had the time not called for seriousness. 

Alec sits next to the codex, maneuvering the camera rig above it to capture the pages and getting the images up on the screen. 

"Hoorghwall in schtochman ahn warrellinsh och fortabellan iin hoorgwahn" Alec speaks to the codex as text appears on the codex and the screen. 

"What language is that?" Elena asks confused

"It's an ancient celestial language" Clary seems as confused as everyone else but for different reasons, she could understand it like Alec was speaking English. 

Alec continued to speak, more text appearing and each screen capturing a different response to each of the questions. 

"What's he saying?" Jace brushes up against Clary

"He's asking about attacks at the higher planes and about casualties, between the Angels and the Fallen"

"Simon, you said you couldn't get that information" Izzy adds

"I tried back when Alec was in hell, trying to get the number of casualties to contextualise the impact of Alec's attack, but I just kept getting nothing. I know Abdiel is boosting the codex but it's clearly not enough to get everything"

Clary wants to bite her tongue so hard, out of a need to hurt and feel hurt, "You misunderstood Simon"

As Clary sees the text on the screens continue to come in she can't hold back her tears and leaves the room, Izzy and Jace move towards her to which Alec calls out, "No, let her go" he sighs as he understands why she needed a moment. 

"For those us of that don't understand what the fuck is going on?" Elena asks out loud and impatiently. 

Alec reclines in the chair, and points at the last word of each response to each question Alec had asked; which was identical regardless of the question.

Simon's eyebrows shot up like they could escape, his eyes widened, "OH. OH FUCK!"

Jace looked at his two best friends, his Parabtai and the vampire, "What is it?" he says softly

"It's nothing" Simon lets out a sharp soundless whine, like a shudder, like something foul had tried to caress the skin along his spine. He shakes his head, "It's nothing at all"

Jace grows angry, now was not the time to keep anything from him, he needed to know too. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think, leave a comment. Did you like the use of maps in the story?


	24. Crucible

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The apocalypse is coming. Welcome to the last three installments of the season which will be published over the next week.  
The final battle is days away and Alec and Clary forms a new plan. Jace is scared for those he loves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment down below. The last 6 months have been crazy, with pandemics and work, I know some of you have been waiting a long time for this conclusion, I hope you find these three chapters satisfying.
> 
> As always, smutty scenes are labelled
> 
> Many thanks to my Betas - @Hittiske and @SheWillHuntYouDown

**Chapter 24**

**\---Scene 1---**

Alec’s walk through the corridors felt hard, his body ached to the information he had learnt no more than 20 minutes ago. It was like he had been punched in the chest and winded.

Jace ran to him as he turned around the corner, relieved when he saw Alec having reached out to him through their bond.

Jace nearly crushed Alec when he threw his arms round him, “Please talk to her"

Alec nodded

When he got to the door Alec took a deep breath, not bothering to knock he simply activated an unlock rune.

Clary looked raw in the face having run out of tears.

On the coffee table there were two glasses, one full and another empty, and a half full bottle of vodka.

Clary topped both the glasses and took a huge swig from hers.

Alec sat down opposite Clary, “Guess you were expecting me"

“Hmm" Clary murmurs as she takes another gulp.

Alec lifts the glass up before drinking some himself, “Didn’t think this would be your kind of drink"

Clary half smiles but her eyes showed it was bittersweet, “There was this guy, maybe in his eighties, I rescued him from Odessa, kept a bottle from his wedding he said. He was so insistent I take it as a gift"

Alec pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolds it, a rune drawn on it.

Clary takes the sketchbook by the side of her seat and opens it up, showing a page with the same rune on it, “Snap”

“When did you draw this?”

“It was one of the first runes I ever rediscovered. We couldn’t work out what it did"

Alec nods, “You must understand your way out of this" he says impersonating Abdiel before returning to his normal voice, “Fuck Abdiel"

Clary raises her glass “Fuck Ithuriell"

“Fuck the lot of them"

Clary looks down at the drink in her hand, “What now"

Alec looks into the distance, “We get drunk?”

“I like that plan. But we’re going to need more alcohol than this" Clary snorts, “especially now that you have a warlock’s constitution”

“We could raid the storerooms in the sub-basement” Alec chuckles.

Clary wipes away the tears of laughter at the idea, “I know you’re the Consul and all but isn’t that against the rules"

“Maybe we should break them", Alec smiles as does Clary.

Alec’s face turns serious, “They set the rules, maybe it’s time we stop playing by them!” he ponders

“You have a plan?”

“Not yet, but I’m working on it" Alec takes another swig of Vodka.  
  


**\---Scene 2---**

Magnus wrapped his arms around Alec’s topless torso as Alec continued to write scribbles down on the various pieces of paper he had on the kitchen Island counter.

“Come to bed?”

Alec sighed deeply, “I can’t sleep, I need to work this all-out"

“No, you need rest” Magnus placed his head to Alec’s shoulder, the warm air from his breath tingling Alec’s exposed skin.

“We’re on a clock here sweetie" Alec closed his eyes momentarily, unable to escape the ecstasy he felt just from Magnus being so close.

“You’ve not stopped for the last 6 hours” Magnus was concerned that after seeing Clary, and drinking a fair amount, but not too much he couldn’t handle it Alec had gone straight to trying to solve the problem.

“Maybe a bit of sleep would help" Alec groaned in annoyance that Magnus was right.

Magnus led Alec by the hand to their bed, stripping off their clothes and cuddling up to each other.

Magnus’s skin against Alec’s was warm and comforting and Alec wrapped himself around his husband, his head on Magnus’s chest and his legs around his waist. Even with the Angels approaching and the world seemingly falling apart Alec could get some measure of comfort in Magnus’s arms.  
  


**\---Scene 3---**

“Magnus" Madzie screams out and runs towards him and the boys.

“Sweet Pea" Magnus lifts her up into the air and back down again. Meanwhile Maxie and Rafe run towards Catarina.

“Thanks for taking the boys”

“It is my unbridled pleasure" Catarina warmly embraces the two.

Magnus places Madzie back down who then goes to the boys offering to show them the latest toys in her room.

Magnus stands with a massive grin on his face as he hears their voices and laughter, “I don’t know how long the council meeting will go on for"

“Oh don’t worry they are welcome to stay as long as you need them too. Where’s Alec?”

“He’s back at the loft finalising the plans to present to the Council, he and Clary have been at it all day"

“Well it better be a good plan, everyone is talking about Tokyo"

Magnus huffs, “no one is even supposed to know about Tokyo, not yet”

Magnus’s glare forced Catarina to turn her gaze downwards for a moment, an instinctual submission to a High Warlock.

“Do we have a chance?” Cat searches Magnus’s face for a sign of hope, something that had been in short supply of late. But there was a twinkle in Magnus’s eye that told her there was real hope, not wishful thinking and delusional hope but a genuine chance.

“Wow, they must have some plan!”

Magnus can’t give anything away but smirks as he swaggers off.

  
**\---Scene 4---**

**(Explicit/Smutty)**

Magnus’s mouth drops at the sight in front of him when he opens the door to his bedroom.

Alec’s naked body writhing on the bed sheets, his body glistening with a small amount of sweat. His left hand runs through his hair as his head is tilted all the way back. His eyes are shut as he imagines his husband with his mouth agape. Alec’s back clings to the bed sheets and his legs are bent towards him, his feet near his ass as he jams three fingers into his very lubed up ass.

“Did I not take care of you this morning?" Magnus smirks leaning against the door frame.

Alec is knocked out of his daze and with heavy eyelids he looks towards his husband drunk with lust.

“Fuck me" he whispers

“Darling, we’ve got a council meeting, we don't have time"

“I just, it’s too much, this whole plan is crazy, and I just need some relief I’m too stressed"

“Alexander” Magnus whispers in a disapproving tone into his ear as he nibbles it

“Please?” Alec shakes slightly, precum drips from his cock onto his muscular abs.

Magnus kneels onto the bed next to Alec's chest, he leans in for a kiss whilst his hand slowly runs down Alec’s thigh and to his hole.

Alec’s fingers move out of the way to make room for Magnus’s.

Alec moans into the kiss

“I’ll make you cum, but we don’t have time to fuck"

“No" Alec begs, “Please, just a quickie, please just breed me"

Magnus withdraws his fingers for a moment and smacks Alec’s lube slicken cheeks before returning.

“Don’t make this harder than it is. If I start fucking you it won’t be quick and you know it. You know when I’m inside that warm cunt of yours, I could go for hours"

Alec bites his lips, loving when Magnus talks this way about his hole.

“But... I want you to breed me” Alec whines.

“After the council meeting. For now, I’m just going to make you feel good and then you’re going to smash that council meeting"

Magnus’s three fingers slide easily into Alec’s hole. Each finger took on slightly different rhythms and movements. The middle one seems to gently tap whereas the other two dragged along Alec’s prostate.

Alec gulped mid kiss when he felt magic shooting through Magnus’s fingers, radiating out from his p-spot like electricity.

It didn’t take much work for Magnus to have his husband cumming, his ass spasming around his fingers with a rolling sensation like it was trying to milk them.

As Magnus continued to kiss Alec, he felt the ropes of cum hitting both of their chins.

  
**\---Scene 5---**

Clary raises her brows at Alec, an awkward silence had befallen the council chamber. A number of delegates had looked like they were about to speak, opening their mouths and taking deep breaths but with no words quite making it out.

Alec’s lips moved in a circular motion as he made clicks, filling the silence with the faintest of noises.

Finally, Maia manages to get out words, “You’re...serious?”

Clary nods, “Uhmm"

Maia goes to respond further but again no words come out.

Choking out the words Meliorn adds, “What you’re proposing flies in the face of everything we’ve ever done, what every generation of the downworld has done for thousands of years"

Clary and Alec in perfect synchronicity take the smallest of gulps.

“I think it’s brilliant," Meliorn smiles widely, and his eyes glistening with excitement like you find on a child with a new toy.

“You mean it?” Clary lets out a deep breath of relief

Meliorn pulls a bemused face before Clary rolls her eyes at her own comment, “Right"

Evan shakes his head, “This is madness!... It just might work"

“We’re going to need a miracle to pull this off" Elena interjected, “So I guess we best get to work"  
  


**\---Scene 6---**

“You’re upset" Clary sighs as she changes into a vest top and a pair of boy shorts.

Jace shrugs as he strips down to his boxers, his rune covered skin glistening in the low lighting of their room.

“No, not upset, just... worried" Jace flops onto the bed.

“It’s a good plan, don’t you trust me, or Alec?”

Jace seems almost offended, “I’m allowed to be worried Clary, I’m allowed to be worried for you and for Alec. You’re both putting yourself in a dangerous place and if it doesn’t work the two people I love most in this world are... I’m allowed to be worried ok"

Clary moves slowly along the bed closing into Jace and running her fingers along his warm skin, “You’re allowed to worry, but this is our last hope"

“For peace?”

“I hope, but I fear that time has long since passed. No, this is our best hope for survival" Clary’s lips pressed against Jace’s softly.  
  


**\---Scene 7---**

Zara looked out into the gloomy night above Alicante, whispering into the night air, “It won't be long before we’ve finished the infernal cup. Will you return then? Is this a test father?”

“Ahem" Manuel coughs to announce his presence at the other end of the hall.

“The cup?”

“It’s getting there, another two weeks at most"

Zara grits her teeth, “two weeks? That’s not fast enough"

“It also looks like we may run into some of the same issues as the mortal cup, I think we will struggle to get a good rate of ascension” Manuel paused for a moment, knowing that any reference to Alec would irritate her, “Lightwood and the traitors have reportedly found a way to improve the ascension process of the mortal cup, perhaps a small team could infiltrate their operations, maybe get the data we need to...”

“You want us to use the work of those vile beasts?” Zara scoffs, “Even if we only achieve a 1% ascension rate, there’s 7.8 billion mundanes, that’s 78 million to our cause”

“You want to turn the whole world?”

“With this cup, our numbers will not only rival the traitors, but exceed it, and the downworld half breeds, even the demons will be outnumbered. The Angel’s will see they don’t need them anymore when they have us. Our Nephilim blood merged into the power of the true Angel’s will elevate us beyond the downworld, beyond even the most powerful demons, we will rule and never need bow before the whims of all those who dare think they are our equals"

“Then let me try to find a way to improve our odds even more, let me find a way to improve our rate of ascension” Manuel pleads almost desperately

“You have until they finish the cup, you may have a small team, no more than 5” Zara turns away to look back at the night sky.

Manuel knows better than to argue, even if it is a paltry level of support it is not opposition, no one wants to be the opposition to a Dearborn.  
  


**\---Scene 8---**

Cleophas goes through the few bags she brought with her, clothes, tools, the room is little more than a studio but she had been lucky, even though the clave HQ was a massive tower block, most single people had had to live in shared quarters since the exodus from Idris.

Alec knocks at the door and Cleophas turns, surprised to see the Consul.

“Consul Lightwood-Bane” She wasn’t expecting him.

“Are you settling in ok?”

“Takes some getting used to, being away from the farm and all that space" suddenly realising it made her sound ungrateful her face drops, “Not that this isn’t perfect, I mean I, umm"

“It’s ok, and please call me Alec"

“Alec. Thank you, for securing my pardon. I know I don’t deserve it”

Alec nods, “You have Inquisitor Branwell to thank"

“I was just unpacking and then heading over to Lucian and your mothers for lunch. Did you want to join?”

“Glad to see you’re reconnecting. The countryside may have plenty of space but it can be isolating"

Cleophas nods, “Last time around, me and Lucian had strained our relationship beyond repair, at least I thought so, now I have a chance to be there this time. To be the Aunt I wasn’t able to be for Clary. Sorry I’m rambling, did you want to join us I’m sure your mother would be thrilled".

“Unfortunately, I can’t make it. And more unfortunately I’m afraid you can’t either, or at least you might be a little late" Alec looked all serious and authoritative, for someone her junior, Cleophas with her usual spunky attitude somehow knew better than to argue.

“Is there something I can help with"

Alec slowly approached Cleophas, “Few Iron sisters survived the attack in Poland. Few still knew some of the secrets of the Iron sisters that you do"

Alec took a pause, Cleophas didn’t interrupt, waiting for Alec to finish, “I know that you helped Clary call Ithuriel, I need your help to do it again"

“You need to call on an Angel? Are you trying to broker some sort of peace deal with them?”

“No, I think we are beyond peace now”

“it’s not easy, and there is no guarantee they would answer, and we really don’t know how the deterioration of the walls that separate our planes of existence would affect such a ritual...”

“I’m aware of this" Alec interrupts, “but I actually need to speak... to a fallen"

Cleophas's eyes widen in a mixture of shock, fear and surprise.  
  


**\---Scene 9---**

“Would you stop looking over my shoulder" Magnus snaps at Izzy

“Sorry, I just needed to see how the work was getting on"

“It would go better if I didn’t have some council delegate or senior clave member checking in on me every 5 minutes" Magnus sighs as his hands flowed with magic cascading like a waterfall onto the stones below.

“I guess I’m just worried, this is a huge risk to my brother and my Parabatai, I didn’t mean to hover"

“I know Izzy, I’m worried too"

“And what about you? Not to get you nervous but you’re pretty key to all of this too"

Magnus chuckled, “there’s a lot of that going around, if one part of this plan fails the whole deck of cards comes crashing down. Still it’s the best plan we’ve come up with. And at least I get to be by Alec’s side throughout this"

Magnus continued to work his magic on the stone, one of two he needed to get done in order to safely communicate with higher beings beyond just jamming them up mentally. It was dangerous work, the original stone Asmodeous had, allowed the fallen to take control over him, he wouldn’t let that happen to Alec and Clary.  
  


**\---Scene 10---  
(a little bit smutty)**

“Maryse, I wasn’t expecting you” Simon stutters when he opens the door, “Izzy is with Magnus at the moment"

“I know" Maryse softly smiled, “Do you mind if I sit down?”

“Umm sure, just give me a second" Simon closes the door partially for a moment.

At super vampire speed he quickly tidies up the studio apartment, there wasn’t as much space as his old place, but it was safer being in the HQ building. Things are quickly shoved under beds and chairs, shoved into drawers they don’t belong as he makes the room presentable.

“Would you like a drink?” Simon opens the fridge door, “We’ve got OJ, Apple...”

“Ooo, Tomato Juice! I’ve been having such cravings" Maryse points at the bottle of red liquid.

“That’s, umm, it’s not Tomato” Simon says sheepishly.

Maryse feels for a moment a bit daft for not realising but smiles warmly, “of course, Orange Juice would be fine"

Maryse sits down on the sofa as Simon pours a glass. As he walks over to Maryse he notices a dildo half poking out under the sofa. He and Izzy had a lot of toys, partially because it helped to prepare Izzy given Simon’s size, and Izzy rather enjoyed using it on Simon on occasion.

Simon positioned his foot in the right place as he moved to hand the glass of juice over and with a gentle swipe of his foot, he pushes the black 8inch silicon item under the sofa fully.

“So, what brings you to floor 33” Simon asks

“Isabelle told me about your recent...discussions"

Simon looked confused for a moment; he had a suspicion but wanted Maryse to confirm.

“About children"

“Ah", Simon cringed

“I’d appreciate if you didn’t tell her I came"

Simon nods.

“Maryse I get why you’re here, but this really is a private affair" Simon clears his throat.

Amused at Simon’s attempt to be assertive Maryse continues, perhaps what amused Maryse most is that she observed that Simon can indeed be assertive, but only when he doesn’t try, “Simon... shut up.”

Simon nods taking the seat opposite.

“Alec could have died going to hell, I thought he might have”

“That must have been terrifying" Simon acknowledges, “the thought of losing a child"

“Yes, it is, so I understand why you feel the way you feel. The truth is, I’ve known since they were born that there was every possibility my children would die. Shadowhunters have always been at high risk of an early grave. As a former mundane that must seem quite alien to you"

“You can’t tell me that you’re _used_ to the idea of Alec, Izzy, Jace or Max dying before you" Simon half snapped, holding himself back.

“No, you never get used to it. And you shouldn’t. That’s not the point. Simon, I knew the moment my children were born that truth” holding Simon’s hands across the coffee table she looks him in the eyes, “Every moment with them is a gift. I would rather have my children in this world for a short period, than not at all"

“I get it, I do. But for you, it’s a possibility, for me it’s a certainty. My children will die before I do.” Simon sighs.

“And when it is too late, once Izzy has passed, will you regret the child or children you could have had? Will you regret the years of joy and love out of fear for pain of loss?”

“It’s not that simple”

“It is that simple, it’s just not easy” Maryse smiles

“You think I should have children with Izzy?” Simon rubs his forehead

“I think you and Izzy should do whatever you think is best, just don’t let fear of what you may lose stop you from doing what you want" Maryse stands up, kisses Simon on the cheek and heads to the door, “Thanks for the drink"

Simon chuckles when he sees the glass has barely been touched as Maryse leaves the studio.  
  


**\---Scene 11---**

The circle surrounding Alec glowed, he had been reciting the ritual for 40 minutes already. He had done exactly as Cleophas had instructed.

The sky churned; dark clouds blotted out the once bright sunshine in the forest’s clearing.

Alec felt a gust of wind and a thud behind him, turning around he saw Abdiel. His black wings closed into themselves.

“Alexander Lightwood-Bane” the tanned face seemed almost smug.

When gritting his teeth failed him Alec swung and punched the fallen angel square in the jaw before taking a step back.

“Sorry" Alec murmured, “I shouldn’t have hurt you"

Abdiel flashed a soft smile that was full of concern, “I’m an angel Alexander, you can’t hurt me with a fist"

Alec turned away from Abdiel, sighing at first and taking a deep breath to calm himself.

Whilst Alec wasn’t looking Abdiel grabbed his jaw with his hand and silently muttered _oww_.

As Alec started to turn around Abdiel quickly composed himself.

“Why?” Alec huffs, “Why didn’t you tell me the truth"

“I did"

“No, you buried it, hid my memories from me and the information we needed to know!” Alec sits down on a nearby log, Abdiel joins him, softly sitting by his side albeit cautiously.

“You weren’t ready to know"

“Who the hell are you to decide that" Alec sulked like an angry child.

“Alexander, I didn’t decide that, you did. The knowledge and memories came to you when your subconscious knew you were ready to handle it"

Alec instinctively leant on Abdiel, it was if there was a bond now, because of the memories buried within. He wondered if this is how Clary and Jace felt with Ithuriel.

Abdiel wrapped his arm around Alec, to him he was a child, all the lower beings were.

“I feel how you felt Abdiel, you’re so desperate to end the war, why didn’t you and Ithuriel take action?”

“Ithuriel believed, as do I, that the solution lies with you, the lower beings”

Alec huffed, “Lower beings? Insulting when you think about it"

“As is the term Fallen" Abdiel quipped, “Your kind _feels_ in a way we can’t. You have a depth of emotion we can’t reach. It may be the greatest gift the creator gave you, and it is for that reason the solution lies with you. Alec, we don’t think like you do, if we did maybe we would have found a solution ourselves. But that’s why you called me here isn’t it. You have a solution in your mind as I knew you would"

Alec nods, “I need a favour, a big one”

“What do you need?”

“I need you to get the fallen to breach, at this location" Alec hands him a piece of paper, “at that specific time”

“You _want_ us to breach near Tokyo?”

“In 8 days time the Angels will be in Sagami Bay, their full force. I need every Fallen there too"

Abdiel frowns, “You’re going to create a crucible, one you believe will force out the truth"

“You disapprove?”

“Brave! Possibly futile...” Abdiel smiles brilliantly as he tightens his embrace of Alec, “but very... human"

“Can it be done?” Alec asks nervously, the whole plan rested on this and a million other factors, any one of them failing would mean catastrophe.

“Yes, with our numbers reduced from your attack, it wouldn’t take as long for us to breach, maybe 6 days”

“We can’t have them arrive earlier than the Angels" Alec points out.

“You won’t. They would need to think there was a chance of dealing you a critical blow that would require a full breach”

“Already ahead of you" Alec pulls out something from his pocket, “Plans for a secret base, under our enemies noses, one which will become operational at the time specified on the paper, the whole Clave leadership, the council, downworlder leaders and heads of the conclave will be there and with a large security force that a small breach couldn’t handle"

**\---Scene 12---**

“Remember when our biggest worry was a band name" Simon sits opposite Clary.

Clary sits cross legged on a blue mat, hooked up to sensors in one of the smaller training rooms, “I need to concentrate Simon"

“Sorry" Simon tries to keep quiet, not exactly his strongest trait.

Clary opens her eyes, “What’s the reading?” she points to a machine.

Simon goes over an reads the screen, “Umm 0.74”

“Shit" Clary falls to her side in frustration.

“How does this all work again?” Simon asks, they had discussed the plan at the council meeting, but Simon clearly hadn’t paid enough attention to this part, and how the sensors that Underhill had devised to measure the stability and power output of runes worked.

“I need to get it down to 0.42” Clary sighs, “Otherwise the rune won’t be stable enough to channel the amount of power that will be running through it"

“You pulled it off once in Edom"

“I think we can both agree there is a world of difference between Edom and _this"  
  
_

**\---Scene 13---**

Elena runs through the halls, almost panting as she catches up to Alec, “Is it true?”

Alec nods, “I was just about to go in” he points at the interrogation room door, “Did you want to observe? Lydia is next door now"

“As if I’d miss this"

Alec enters the room and slowly sits at the table, a one way mirror behind him, one of Luke’s ideas given his background in the NYPD.

Alec stares at the man opposite, “Manuel Villalobos”

“Alexander Lightwood" Manuel monotonously responds, keeping a cool blank expression on his face. Alec notices he seems a bit gaunt, like he hadn’t been eating right.

“Lightwood-Bane" Alec snarls

“Of course”

Alec folds his hands and his gaze seems to pierce Manuel who starts to show signs of discomfort, “So let’s start with the basics, our sentries found your team in the sub levels, how did you get in?”

“A magician never reveals his secrets"

In the other room Lydia looks at Elena confused, “Why doesn’t Alec just wait for the silent brothers to bring the soul sword? It can’t be more than 20 minutes away"

Elena chuckles knowingly, “He’s having fun"

Lydia sighs, that did sound like Alec.

Back in the interrogation room Alec rolls his eyes in typical dramatic Alec ‘I’m over this’ fashion, when he stands to leave the room Manuel continues.

“You’re asking the wrong question, the more interesting question is, why am I here" Manuel explores Alec’s face with his eyes, trying to see if it had renewed his interest.

Alec slowly moves back to the chair, as if it is a chore to do so, “Ok, why are you here, what were you doing in the sub levels”

“Zara sent us; she believes I am here to steal information pertaining to your ascension programme"

“Then presumably you were after the Mortal cup as well” Alec asks pointedly

“No. Zara is in possession of blueprints, given to Horace supposedly from the Fallen themselves”

“She’s making her own Mortal Cup?” Alec does worry about that, the forging of the mortal cup was by the hands of the Angel’s themselves, legend tells. If Zara has blueprints to make her own, she could even try to mass produce them as weapons against the demons.

“Not exactly, they call it the Infernal Cup. When mundanes are turned by the fallen they become demons, when shadowhunters are turned, they are something...more" Manuel shakes his head, “They will be more powerful than any lower being, and they will destroy us all"

“So, Zara needed our research to stabilise the cup and ensure a good ascension rate"

Manuel simply nods, “Not that she is _that_ bothered, she plans to convert the world, even without that data...”

“She could create millions of Demonic Nephilim” Alec did _not_ need this complication

“It will be ready in 10 days, maybe. That is your window” Manuel glares over the mirror, well aware that others are observing.

“Why should we believe you?”

Manuel smirks, “Well that brings us back to that question again"

“Why are you here?" Alec quickly identifies that Manuel didn’t actually answer the question but rather stated what Zara thought he was doing.

“To join forces. Our goals, at least for now, align"

“You haven’t exactly inspired much confidence in your loyalty to us following the election, why should we trust you?”

“Let’s put our cards on the table. I don’t like you or your progressive downworlder loving ways, but we stayed in Idris to preserve our way of life. Zara threatens that”. Leaning back in the chair Manuel searches Alec for a clue to his openness to a deal and decides to go ahead, “You need to stop Zara, and I know more about her and her plans than anyone you’ve got here. And I can get you past the wards. But this will cost you"

“And what would it cost us?” Alec asks.

“Your backing. See, with Zara gone, someone needs to lead those of us who remain loyal to the old ways. I will give you the means to stop the madness of Zara Dearborn, and you will give peace, a promise to never attempt to take Idris from the true believers"

Alec poorly hides his smirk, “Or we could just use the soul sword to get the intel"

“That won’t help you. See the only way in is a barrier of our own design, one that can only be taken down inside Idris and can only be passed through by those of us who remained following the split” Manuel bites his lips to hide his smile, “You need me to pull this off"

  
**\---Scene 14---**

“I heard about Manuel" Izzy closes the door of Alec and Magnus’s apartment, as the kids run towards her.

“Hey boys"

“Auntie Izzy, look what I made today” Maxie proudly shows her a drawing.

“He's gifted” Izzy remarks as she looks over the drawing. A crayon drawing, one might expect from a child his age, there was Alec and Magnus with the boys of course, then Jace and Clary, Izzy and Simon were obvious by their artificial leg and pale skin respectively, and lastly Maryse and Luke with Max next to them.

What made it an exceptional drawing was how the images moved as if the crayon figures were real and trying to stay still for a photo, occasionally Simon’s head would lean into Izzy’s neck.

Alec blushes proudly and in the moment the thought couldn’t escape Izzy’s mind, not that it was the first time it had crossed it, how good fatherhood looked on him.

“So, Manuel then?”

Alec tilts his head to the side with an eye roll, “Do we have to talk shop in front of my boys?"

Izzy raised her eyebrows.

“Fine" Alec sighs, he turns to Rafe, “Why don’t you go play with Maxie in the other room while Daddy and Aunt Izzy chat. Izzy can stay for dinner and read you both a story for bedtime?”

Rafe’s face drains of all colour and he is as white as a ghost, nervously he asks, “Aunt Izzy isn’t _cooking_ dinner though? Right?”

Alec bites his tongue and clenches his lips to hold back the chuckle.

“Cheeky little sh...ax demon"

“Go on boys"

Maxie pouts but heads off with Rafe anyway.

“So, Manuel. Hard to believe the story"

Alec nods, “Yup, but Lydia interrogated him with the soul sword, he’s not lying"

“So what are you going to do?” Izzy pauses, “Are you considering his proposal?”

“Honestly, yes, but it would have to wait until after Tokyo"

“Alec, a lot of us left Idris because we knew we would be back eventually"

Alec didn’t quite believe her, “Everyone knew what was at stake, and that we might never go home!”

“But there was that hope there. Take it away before Tokyo? How do you think that would affect Morale?”

“Nothing will be decided until after Tokyo"

“Good, because I got to say a lot of people are anxious enough as it” Izzy quickly stopped herself from saying any more

“You’re talking about Jace?”

Alec shifts in his chair, “I know he is worried"

“Worried? He is petrified that he might lose you and Clary"

Alec breathes deeply, “I know, but this is our best chance"

“Yes, I get it, he gets it, but that doesn’t mean the risks aren’t real or that that fear isn’t justified. I’m scared shitless too, my brother and my Parabatai are on the line”

“Jace is unhappy with it but I know my Parabatai Izzy, he can handle it, he knows what needs to be done"

  
**\---Scene 15---**

“Jace Herondale” a quiet voice calls from the shadows.

Jace stands still, in his usual all black ensemble but without any blades on him.

Two demons flank him, dripping in Ichor and stinking like burning offal, patting him down as Jace grits his teeth.

“I’m surprised you came unarmed" the soft feminine voice whispered

Jace's eyes glow and his strength rune glows, “What makes you think I’m unarmed"

The voice chuckles, and the small patter of footsteps echo in the room. Out of the shadows the frame of a small woman comes into view, her hair jet black and straight, her clothes white and her skin a sickly grey.

“Lim Hyun-Joo, it’s an honour"

The demon raises her brows, “How so"

“In the space of just 2 months you pretty much rule the demons on the eastern hemisphere, quite an impressive feat for someone who was mundane not too long ago"

Hyun-Joo smirks, “and the reason for your pointless flattery? Why are you here?”

“You thought I’d have the Mortal cup” Jace chuckles

“I considered it only momentarily, that your cockiness would be because you’d have the Mortal cup on your persons"

“Too much of a risk, besides, you still have a pure angel blooded Nephilim on your doorstep, I knew that alone would be enough to intrigue you"

“Consider me intrigued. Now answer the question"

Jace sighed, “You became a demon because of your child"

Hyun-Joo angrily raises her hand and flings Jace magically to the ceiling, “Don’t you dare"

Jace’s eyes flashed and he was suddenly back on the ground landing on his knees.

“Everything you do, you do out of desire to protect that you love, so I know out of all the demon lord and kings and whatever titles you give yourself, you would be the one to understand my reasons for coming"

Hyun-Joo eyes glared ferociously at Jace, she didn’t like being manipulated, everything she did was out of vengeance of the husband she had lost to the angels and the child she still ferociously protected, even from her own kind, it was what drove her to seek out power. It was not known exactly the specifics of what had happened, had she turned the child, was the child injured or even if she sought the power to cure something? Who knew, what was known was that she was fierce in her protection to the extent that she had allegedly pulled the much older demon Azazel apart with her bare hands when he tried to lay a hand upon them.

“Speak on that topic again and I will personally remove your tongue, angel"

“Fair. Ok, I’ll keep it simple. I’m going to make you an offer and you’re going to accept" Jace says brazenly.

“Why?" she asked again returning to a soft voice

“Because it’s an offer I don’t think you can resist”

“What’s in it for you?”

Jace’s lips trembled slightly, “You help me save the two people I love most in the world"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you thought in the comments!


	25. The night before the apocalypse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> T'was the night before the apocalypse.  
The Angels throw a curve ball. Alec has a horrendous choice to make. And everyone tries to take comfort and joy before the inevitable apocalypse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, smutty scenes are labelled (and there are a few mild and explicit scenes in this one- basically everyone is getting laid)
> 
> Many thanks to my Betas - @Hittiske and @SheWillHuntYouDown

**\---Scene 1---**

“Jace says you’ve been doing amazing with the rune control" Alec reassures Clary.

“Yeah, we did a test run with 2000 yesterday, not a single hitch. Still it’s going to be a lot more than that when we get to Tokyo" Clary nervously adds.

“I have faith in you"

Alec’s warm smile was worlds apart from how they felt when they had first met.

“Speaking of Jace" Clary seized the moment

“Yeah I’ve noticed how on edge he has been with it all. Unfortunately, he isn’t letting it through the bond, he keeps trying to keep me closed out. I guess he doesn’t want to worry me but…"

Clary rolls her eyes, “but that just makes you worry more. I know the feeling"

“He will pull through. There’s no one like our Jace"

Clary's lip creep upwards in agreement, “No there is not"   
  


**\---Scene 2---**

“We have a problem" Simon and Izzy run up to Alec in the ops centre.

Naturally Jace, Clary, Elena, Evan, Meliorn and Maia who were all in the room, notice something is going on and move to find out what.

“What do you mean they’ve split up?" Alec's voice booms.

“About a quarter of them have changed trajectory” Izzy explains

“The Angels are supposed to be here in 3 days, will this affect the time of breach?” Evan knows timing is everything if the Fallen are going to arrive at the same time.

Simon shakes his head, “no"

“Can you work out where the other group will breach?” Maia is quick to jump in

Izzy trembles as she responds, “We’ve already worked it out... Idris"

“You must be mistaken; Idris is holy land" Evan looks numb and white as a ghost.

“The fallen have _infected_ Idris, I guess the Angels have decided to take action?” Elena points out

Alec seems confused, “No, the fallen influences have been there a while, they wouldn’t suddenly change their plans like this unless it gave them a tactical advantage"

“Or if they became aware of a threat" Clary's eyes widen

“They’ve found out about the infernal cup" Meliorn deduces.

“Okay, okay" Elena tries to calm down, “Three days, it’s not much time but we can plan for this, maybe if we move some of the light mines to the edges of the Brocelind plain we can...”

“No" Alec flatly interrupts

“Alec, light mines are our most effective weapon, you can’t expect our people to fight without that advantage” Meliorn pulls a stern face full of resolve

“They won’t be fighting” Alec sighs, “This is a one shot deal, all or nothing. We have enough people to make a stand at Tokyo or Idris, not both.”

Jace’s eyes well up “Idris is out home"

“How many people are in Idris" Alec's voice cracks

The room goes silent, millions of lives at risk in Tokyo, a few thousand in Idris. It was numbers, cold, calculated, unsympathetic numbers.

“With a bit of luck, our fighting in Tokyo might draw them away from Idris, if it goes our way" Clary gulps.

Alec nods, gripping the table as he leans forward, steadying himself as he feels nauseous at the decision he has just had to make.

“We can’t abandon Idris Alec" Jace pleads, “There has to be someway"

“Then please find it Parabatai” Alec cries, his voice breaking.  
  


**\---Scene 3---**

“Jace Herondale?” Manuel seems surprised to see the angel blooded man. He hadn’t had much dealings with him before.

“How much longer are you going to keep me locked up, you know you need me if you’re going to destroy the infernal cup" Manuel points out with his cocky attitude.

Jace looks round the cell, it reminded him of the ones in the New York Institute except much more modern and missing the charm of the architecture.

“You’re free to go," Jace says softly as he opens the door.

Manuel laughs nervously, “What is this? A trick?”

“No, you’re free to leave. You’re no longer a tactical advantage, just someone we would need to babysit and honestly, we have more pressing issues” Jace replies sombrely

“You need me! If you want to destroy the infernal cup, you’re gonna need me!" Manuel is confused, no this had to be some kind of trick.

“The Angels will attack Idris in 3 days. They know about the cup. They’ll destroy it and everyone in their path."

Manuel’s whole demeanour changes and the brave and cocky arrogant man is replaced by a scared little boy.

“I don’t know how much Zara and Horace knew, or how much they informed you or others, but the Angels have been wiping out entire cities and towns where the Fallen have a presence”

“But it is the land of Angels, they wouldn’t destroy it!?” Manuel sounds like he is begging, “Right?”

“I’m sorry Manuel"

Manuel takes deep breaths, “Ok, so we move ahead of the schedule. Defeat Zara and the other Endarkened Nephilim, then the Angels won't have a reason to harm us! When does the Clave attack?"

“We don’t have the resources”

“Bullshit! With the downworlders on your side you must have at least two hundred thousand!”

“The Angels are also going to attack Tokyo at the same time, 30 million lives at risk. We can’t defend both"

“So, you’re just going to let Idris burn?”   
  


**\---Scene 4---**

“I heard you managed to convince Alec to let Manuel return to Idris. And with a small task force to back him up no less" Clary wraps her arms around Jace

“Hmm" Jace agrees reading over some paperwork.

Clary sighs at the distance she feels, “Jace, you’re gonna have to start letting me in, Alec too. You don’t have to hide your feelings from us"

“You’ve both got enough on your plates. I don’t want to be a burden" Jace mutters

“You could never be a burden, just talk to me"

Jace takes a deep breath and puts down the paperwork  
  


**\---Scene 5---**

“Right, bedtime!" Magnus moved into the living room from the kitchen in a fluid motion like he was gliding. Upon seeing Alec and the boys playing, his heart melted.

The living room was a mess, with a mixture of barbies, army men, dinosaurs and trucks making up what seemed to be an army that was attacking a monster. The monster had the qualities that one might expect from a child Maxie’s age; a blobbish and crude thing that would have looked like it was made from colourful play dough, had it not been for the translucent nature of it that gave away it’s magical origin.

Rafe was holding on a barbie doll which clearly someone had crafted some swords for, wearing all black and with tiny runes drawn on with a sharpie.

“Papi can’t we play for another hour?” pleaded Rafe

Maxie followed suit, giving his dad puppy dog eyes.

“Just one more hour baby?" Alec’s voice cracked; his eyes were inflated but he held back any tears. Tomorrow the Angels attack and their plan goes into action. As brilliant as it was, there was no guarantee of victory; they might never see their children again.

“Ok, one more hour" Magnus scooted over to Alec and placed a rapid succession of short and emotive kisses onto Alec’s plump lips.

Rafe rolled his eyes, but Maxie being oblivious to the tenderness of the movement jumps onto Magnus forcing the kiss to break, “Alright Blueberry you asked for it" and swiftly Magnus starts blowing raspberries on Maxies neck, causing the little warlock to erupt into fits of laughter.  
  


**\---Scene 6---**

**(Slightly smutty)**

Izzy bursts out laughing, she traces her fingers delicately across Simon's skin, her nails run over the various runes that adorn his pale flesh.

“I mean it’s good that you’re training” Izzy smirked, “But a little bit cheeky of you to ask Underhill to use the alliance rune in bed”

“Well, you’ve used your runes to great effect in the bedroom, you can’t blame me for being curious" Simon leans into her slender neck and plants a soft kiss in just the right place to feel ticklish.

“Yeah but you’ve got your own innate vampire gifts. Trust me that vampire speed comes in very handy, especially when you’re using your tongue" Izzy pulls the covers further up and immersing herself in the warm afterglow of sex.

“Yeah! Why do you _think_ Underhill agreed to use the alliance rune tonight?” Simon throw a wicked smirk Izzy’s way.

“Ok don’t put that picture in my head"

They both giggle hysterically at the thought.

“Well I guess that strikes Andrew off the name list" Simon’s eyes start to feel heavy, ready after the exhausting sex to get a good sleep before tomorrow.

“I can’t believe you’ve gone from saying no to the idea of kids to spending half the day talking about names" Izzy yawns.

“We need to plan these things" Simon shrugs

“Even though we agreed we are a couple of years off being ready for kids?" Izzy murmurs as she starts to feel the sleepiness herself, “Besides we’re having a girl, so Andrew was always off the table"

“Oh really?”

“My daily life has been surrounded by guys, Alec, Jace, you, Meliorn, Magnus, Luke, Max, Raphael. If it wasn’t for Clary it would be nothing but guys driving me crazy. I need some girls on my side"

Simon chuckles at that.   
  


**\---Scene 7---**

**(Medium smutty)**

“That was, umm, interesting” Lorenzo panted as he flopped to one side and off Andrew. His scaly skin returning to his glamoured smoothness.

“Good interesting? Weird interesting?" Andrew asks, trying to catch his breath.

“Good interesting, but also if you’re going to use vampire speed, we need more lube interesting" Lorenzo chuckled

“You didn’t seem to be complaining at the time" Andrew brushed Lorenzo’s sweat soaked fringe off his face.

“Darling I could hardly speak; those thrusts really knock the wind out of you"

Andrew nodded his head in agreement, a broad smile on his face.

“Oh, don’t look so pleased" Lorenzo teased

Soon they are both giggling away when Lorenzo makes a slight hiss noise, “agh", he mutters, running his hand over his well fucked hole.

“Did I go too hard?” Andrew asked with his voice quickly changing to concern.

“Maybe a little" Lorenzo looked into his eyes and smiled softly

“Want me to kiss it better?” Andrew’s fingers moved to his hole and the tips circled around his entrance.

“Cheeky little shit, I’m fine"

“You better be" Andrew tapped his thumb against Lorenzo’s bare chest, “But you enjoyed it?”

“Yes" Lorenzo plants a kiss on Andrew’s cheek

“Maybe next time I could try an alliance rune with a Seelie, they are meant to have some talents in the bedroom"

Lorenzo’s face dropped slightly, enough that Andrew could pick up on it where most would not.

“What?”

“Well...” Lorenzo hesitated, “I think you should use the alliance rune... on me"

Andrew quickly understood, for two people in love it would overwhelm the bond unless coupled with a married union rune. But it would be a binding for life.

“I don’t want you to cut your life short, for me"

Lorenzo sighed, “We might not survive the next 24 hours. But if we do, Andrew I can’t imagine my life without you. I’ve been in love with mortals before, it hurts, the thought that we have 60 years maybe. I want you for hundreds or thousands of years"

“We don’t know what would happen. This half immortality deal, we don’t know enough about it. Look at Alec and Magnus, what if they only get 100 years, we just don’t know"

Lorenzo looks up at Andrew like a hurt puppy, “if we had 100 years, I’d take it, that’s 40 more years than now. Plus, you’d avoid all those prostate problems you mortals get later on because you wouldn’t age"

“Hey" Andrew scolds him

“I want this. But, do you?”

Andrew looks away, a guilty look on his face.

Lorenzo shifts himself to straddle Andrew and in doing so make sure Andrew couldn’t avert his gaze.

“I do" Andrew chokes out, “But I can’t help feeling awful for wanting a longer life with you at the expense of your immortality”

“I. Want. This" Lorenzo says forcefully.

Andrew wipes his eyes that are getting a bit teary. “Ok, at the wedding?”

“At the wedding" Lorenzo nods.

Lorenzo bends forwards and kisses Andrew passionately, and starts to roll his hips and is soon enough reaching behind him to stroke Andrew’s hardening cock whilst holding the head of it against his hole.

“Which one of us is supposed to have a stamina rune?" Andrew laughed

“After the wedding, I guess we both will" Lorenzo chuckled to himself, wondering if that was what was behind Alec and Magnus’s alleged high appetites.  
  


**\---Scene 8---**

“I just don’t want him there" Maryse sighed as Luke came behind her, wrapping his arms around her growing belly.

Luke plants soft kisses at her nape, his rough fingers gliding over her shoulder.

Maryse puts the plate down, back into the sink and turns around to look at her husband with a heavy heart.

“We were younger than he is when we entered the battlefield" Luke reminds her.

“I still don’t like it!”

“Max has your tenacity and fierceness, and you know because of his age he won’t be on the front lines." Luke’s hand wandered from her shoulder, down the length of her arm and on to her hand. He grips the hand reassuringly, bringing it up to his lips and kissing the palm.

“This feels so...different, to anything we had to do at his age. I can’t say I’m too pleased that you, Izzy, Jace and Alec will be there. At least if I was there, I could protect Max"

“You have an important job to do. Besides I don’t want you or our baby anywhere near Tokyo"

“You can’t tell me you don’t feel the same way about Clary" Maryse sighs heavily.

Luke pauses briefly, “I am terrified to death. But I’m more terrified of what will happen if we fail, or worse, do nothing"

“Just promise me you’ll protect them, and that you’ll come home safe" Maryse buries her face into Luke’s chest, taking comfort in the movement of his breathing

  
**\---Scene 9---**

**(Smutty/explicit)**

Alec shivered, goosebumps covered his whole body even though the air was warm. The slightest touch from Magnus drove him to ecstasy.

Magnus’s hand wandered over his husband's body, his fingertips grazing the smallest and faintest hairs along Alec’s thighs.

Their foreheads rested against each other, eyes closed and breathing slow but deep.

Every sound was heightened; the sheets crinkled under Alec’s slightest of movements, his heartbeat was like a drum, his gulps like slow rhythmic beats.

Magnus opened his eyes slowly, and looked into those deep brown eyes, his own cat eyes shining through. Alec looked like he could cry any moment with the hypersensitivity.

“I love you" Alec whispered out.

“I love you too Alexander" Magnus’s lips pressed against his, every point of contact along their lips was like a shot of electricity.

Alec felt out of control, rutting against Magnus to feel every bit of runed skin he could against his own.

Opening his eyes again Alec looked up, he never wanted this to end.

Alec snapped out of it slightly, when he saw an amused smirk along Magnus’s face, “What?” he smiled back innocently and puppy-like.

“You always look so innocent, and yet so deliciously slutty at the same time, I’m not sure how you manage that” Magnus lost himself in Alec’s brown eyes

“Do I?” Alec pouted in a silly and amused way.

“I wish you could see it"

Alec smiled broadly and kissed his husband before jumping out of the bed and moving over to the mirror.

Alec’s naked form glowed in the moonlight from the window and it took Magnus’s breath away. His semi hard 8 inch cock was glistening with precum.

“Magnus?” Alec cried out when he felt Magnus naked body press against his back.

“Stay there darling"

Alec felt a warm tongue against his nape, running slowly along to the left of his neck where it traced his deflect rune.

The tongue travelled to his earlobe where Magnus playfully bit.

Within moments the tongue was inside his ear, setting off the large cluster of nerves by the entrance. It was a guilty pleasure of Alec’s, and Magnus knew a bit of teasing to the ear during a fuck could make Alec cum pretty much instantly unless Alec summoned all his willpower to hold it back.

Magnus’s hand brushed up Alec’s cock, slicking itself with precum that trailed onto his abs as Magnus held him in place.

Alec grunted loudly and a large pearl of precum dripped onto the floor below.

The tongue slowly started moving again, downward, just between his shoulder blades.

As Alec’s eyes shut and he turned around to kiss Magnus he felt a hand reach out to his face and point him to the mirror.

“Look” Magnus instructed, “Look how fuckable you are, and know that is how you drive me so crazy”

Slowly, almost torturously, Magnus' tongue continued to move down, and down and down. When it reached the Sacral dimple, Alec felt another powerful shudder radiate throughout his whole body as Magnus’s chin rested between the top of his cheeks.

Magnus playful and lightly brushed his hand against Alec’s cock again, this time stopping to rub circles on the head with his thumb.

Magnus’s tongue continued his journey down, venturing deeper into Alec’s bubble butt until it found his target.

The tip swirled and pressed against the entrance to Alec’s hole, igniting the dense bundle of nerves there.

Magnus continues to play with Alec’s hole for some time, all the while his hand holding firm against his abdomen while Alec’s cock swings and leaks against his forearm.

Finally, Alec manages to break the trance Magnus’s tongue has caused, spins round and pushes Magnus backwards onto the bed where he falls clumsily onto the mattress.

“That was graceful" Alec teased

“Shadowhunter-Warlock" Magnus playfully retorts as he grabs his hard cock and wiggles it with a “Come get it" smirk.

Alec jumps onto the bed and places the cock to his lips, and in one slowly teasing movement swallows it whole before coming back up for breath and continuing to bob up and down on the silky smooth and pulsing appendix.

With their bodies at 90 degrees, Magnus grabs Alec’s left leg and easily swivels Alec round so he is lying on top of him in a 69 position.

Alec moans like a whore when, with his mouth full of cock, his own disappears into the warmth of his husband’s mouth.

It isn’t long before Magnus’s hands start to wander, at first his palms sneak onto Alec’s cheeks and smack his ass before rubbing them. This solicits even more moans and groans from Alec that Magnus can feel vibrate against his cock.

Alec yelps for a moment when he feels a thumb press into his hole, lubricated no doubt magically by Magnus.

This only makes Alec work on Magnus’s cock more, the feeling of his being enclosed by Magnus’s mouth and whilst one by one more fingers enter his needy hole.

It takes what seems like forever for Alec to pull his throat and mouth off the enormous shaft, precum and saliva trailing between his slightly puffy lips and the head of that magnificent cock.

“Magnus, fuck me" he pleads.

Magnus grumbles around Alec’s cock before pulling off him, “How can I say no to those puppy dog eyes"

Alec blushes in a way that would seem so innocent if not for the wetness around his mouth that led to a large throbbing cock not far from his lips.

“You know I won’t last long after that blowjob" Magnus reminds Alec.

Alec smiles blissfully aware that this would be one of many orgasms of the night and so had no worries with that.

They positioned themselves in a classic position, Alec on all fours on the mattress, his back arched and his ass high in the air. He folds his arms in front of him and lays his head on them to get comfortable and content whilst being able to arch even more.

Magnus moves behind him, keeping his left leg standing on the floor and his right leg kneeling on the mattress. He knows this position will hit Alec’s prostrate just right to make him cum as quickly as he was probably going to.

Alec bit his lip hard in anticipation. He felt something warm, wet and bulbous teasing his hole. Instinctively Alec pushed back.

“Someone is in their slutty headspace tonight" Magnus spoke low as he smacked Alec’s cheeks with the head of his cock.

“Please" Alec begged.

“Please what?” Magnus rubbed the head anti clockwise against Alec’s rim.

“Please fill me full of cock. Magnus, please fuck me and breed my cunt"

Alec couldn’t see his face but he could sense that Magnus was beaming.

Magnus loved it when Alec got all needy like this. “Don’t worry darling, I’m gonna stretch that hole, give you this big warlock dick and knock you up"

“Yessss" Alec hissed, again pushing back.

Magnus carefully lined up the head and bent forward so that his mouth was inches away from his ear, “such a hungry hole you have baby. Always needs filling"

Using his hand on Alec’s right shoulder to steady him, Magnus slowly pushed his hips forward and sank his cock inch by inch into Alec.

“FUCK" Alec cried out, his own cock jolted by the intrusion.

“How are you always so fucking tight” Magnus whispered in his ear

“Magic" Alec groaned.

Magnus lifted his torso off Alec and released his shoulder, “fuck yourself on my cock"

Alec happily obliged, chasing after that sensation of Magnus’s cock brushing up against his prostate. He slammed himself back against Magnus until he could feel Magnus’s pelvis smashing into his ass.

“That’s it Alexander, ride that cock, ride that big warlock cock!”

Alec had lost the ability to speak at this point and could only let out a collection of grunts and moans and whimpering. Occasionally the half word of Magnus, fuck or yeah slipped out his mouth.

Magnus looked down in awe, it never ceased to amaze him seeing how Alec’s hole seemed to stretch obscenely around his girth.

Alec rolled his hips as he pushed back, chasing his own orgasm as well as a load to fill him.

They both knew when they were drawing close to orgasm. Alec was finally able to string sentences again, “Cum inside my hole"

“Want that load deep in your gut pup?” Magnus teased, Alec could only nod, “Gonna fuck it so deep inside you, gonna fill you to the brim"

Magnus grabbed Alec by the hair on his head, yanking his head back and thrusting powerfully into his husband's well fucked man-cunt.

The speed picked up to inhumane levels, and the power of the thrusts winding Alec on each one.

It didn’t take them long before they came together. Alec soaked the bed sheets under him as thick ropes of cum splatter the bed.

After the first shot in Alec Magnus felt the powerful contractions of Alec’s hole, milking his cock like it was being massaged in a never-ending rolling sensation.

“Fuck, take that load, take it!” Magnus cried out in ecstasy.

After a few moments of afterglow Magnus pulled out, a few drops leaking out.

Magnus flipped Alec, moved up the bed so that his knees straddled Alec near his pecs, “Clean up"

Alec sat up slightly and took the whole length of Magnus’s shaft, laced with traces of cum, into his mouth. He took the whole length to not miss a single bit when Magnus suddenly shuddered.

A heat hit the back of Magnus’s eyes, he moaned loudly, and unsure if this was truly that surprising given his husband's talents, found himself having a second orgasm.

Alec’s throat constricted and pulsated around the thick cock as thick cum slid down his throat.

Magnus grabbed Alec by the back of the head and pushed him all the way down until his nose was buried in his well groomed pubes. For a moment he worried if he was being too forceful before remembering that this was Alec, and Alec quickly showed that off when desperately his hands found their way to Magnus’s ass and pulled them as hard as he could towards himself so that every bit of cock could be down his throat.

When Alec pulled off he looked up at his husband, drunk with cum, Magnus couldn’t resist shuffling down to kiss his husband.

“Suami" Alec's welled up, “Aku cinta Kamu"

“I love you too" Magnus held Alec softly in his arms, embracing him in the warmth of his skin, “Malaikat" sighed in a mixture of bliss but also sadness that Alec shared, a sadness that tomorrow one or both of them could very easily be dead.  
  


**\---Scene 10---**

“Shss" Raphael whispered in the dark at the couple, who were giggling like teenagers.

Maia and Bat exchanged looks and held back their amusement as Raphael continued to rummage through the crates in the dark.

The light of the storage room flickered on and the three of them turned around to the sound of heels tapping on the floor.

“Really?” Lydia rolled her eyes at the sight of the three of them sneaking about.

Lydia walked past them to a large container a few rows back. With her eyes and strength rune glowing she easily opened the heavy looking container.

She throws a bottle to Maia, “If you’re going to sneak alcohol from reserves, at least get something decent"

The three of them breathe a sigh of relief when they realise she was not there to tell them off.

Rooting around more, Lydia pulls out a medical bag full of an off-white liquid and tossed it to Raphael, “Cuban"

Raphael bites his lips as he looks over the plasma “The clave really was hoarding the good stuff"

**\---Scene 11---  
(Slightly Smutty)**

“I could hear the cackling ten floors up" Jia chuckled as she walked into the mess hall, brightly lit up by the fluorescent lights, the door to the store rooms clearly open.

The room of about 15 people grew nervous, as they did each time someone joined in.

“Jia" Maia sputtered, dropping the mixer from the counter, where she had clearly been making drinks for everyone.

“Relax, I’m not reporting anything. Not if you’re making margaritas” the inflection in her voice rose with her hope of a drink herself.

Maia felt at ease, nodded and proceeded to make a batch.

Bat offered Jia a chair and Meliorn offered to deal her into the game they were playing.

Round the large table a number of shadowhunters and downworlders were drinking and playing card games.

Raphael politely smiled, “Helen and Aline?”

“Let’s just say they needed some time together” Jia shook her head, “You know, I was always worried when I was younger that my daughter would see or hear me with my husband. Now she’s grown up, the roles have flipped"

“Tell me about it. Magnus, he’s not my father but he practically raised me. And he’s always been a bit, you know, warlocks are known for their pleasure seeking. But now Alec is half warlock they are at it like rabbits” Raphael sighed.

“Oh that’s not a warlock thing, it’s an Alec and Magnus thing” Maia hands out a few drinks to people before sitting on Bat who proceeded to wrap his arms around her waist. “Remember when it was Max's rune ceremony?”

“I wasn’t there" Raphael admits, “I saw Isabelle to the door but never joined the party"

“Well before the guests started arriving, I went to check with Magnus about glasses, found him balls deep in Alec. They were both a bit nervous, guess they thought a quickie would help"

“How embarrassing” Jia laughed in amusement

“Only for Alec, he was bright red. Magnus on the other hand, I swear he was proud of himself, didn’t even miss a beat in asking what the issue was and conjuring some additional glasses back in the kitchen"

“Is it not normal amongst the mortals to have sex that often?” Meliorn enquired

“Depends on the person I guess" Bat shrugs, “But then from what I understand, Seelies have quite the sex drive"

“I suppose for my kind, sex is a part of nature, and that is something we hold dear and cherish. I guess you could say sex is an act of devotion, even worship amongst my kind"

“Can we stop going on about sex? Honestly I don’t understand why everyone is always on about it" Raphael huffed.

“You are Ace Raph, so it stands to reason you wouldn’t see it the way I might for instance" Maia points out, not in a judgemental way, but rather a simple observation.

“Well in what way do you see it? Enlighten me" Raphael scoffs

“I guess for a wolf, it’s... playful, at times aggressive, animalistic, intense...”

“Hairy?” Lydia teases

“Do you have sex when shifted?” Meliorn asked intrigued

“God no, could you imagine it? Fur flying, drool, dog breath" Maia laughs boisterously

“I would have assumed you embrace it during sex. At least that’s been my observation of Seelies or Vampires, even Warlocks" Raphael starts to get himself involved in the conversation

“What do you mean?” Jia asks, genuinely curious, it wasn’t something that was a topic of conversation for most in the clave, at least not until they started being more accepting of downworlders, “Oh come on, you can tell me. I’m not _that_ old or innocent that you have to hold back on me"

“Well feeding and sex are quite intertwined for most vampires, it’s very much an act of consumption and of being consumed. At least that is what I gathered from clanmates”

“And people want to be consumed?” Lydia’s clogs turn in her head, trying to work it out

“Yes, they honestly do, you’ve never slept with a vampire, have you?”

Lydia blushes a brilliant red

“Have you ever been with a downworlder?” Maia probes

“I thought we agreed that we have to discuss threesomes in advance” Bat whispers into Maia, whose eyes widen at the knowledge that even though it was a whisper, people like Raphael would have heard. And of course, he did, acknowledging it with a wink to put Maia on edge.

“Well, ummm, no” Lydia tries to get out, all flustered.

“Well I guess the whole clave opening itself up to the downworld is quite a recent thing. It’s unsurprising that many shadowhunters have never mixed with us when it comes to sexual relations” Meliorn acknowledges that Izzy and her brothers were quite unusual in that regard, they were trailblazers really.

“I’m not prejudiced” Lydia splutters on her drink, “I just, it’s that, umm”

“John?” Jia asks, understanding quicker than the others

Lydia nods

“Who’s John?” Raphael looks at the others, assuming he was just out of the loop due to the time he spent as a mundane.

“He was my fiancé, we planned to run the Lisbon institute together, but he was killed on a demon raid”

“I thought Alec was your fiancé?” Meliorn shrugged

“Before Alec”, Lydia sighs, “I never got married so…”

“Wait, have you been with anyone Lydia?” Maia asked surprised

“Many families in Nephilim society are very… conservative, we’re a warrior race, we die young, so we tend to marry and have kids quite young too” Jia explains

Lydia blushes even more than she did before but was thankful Jia at least explained the situation, so she didn’t have to.  
  


**\---Scene 12---**  
(slightly smutty)  
Lydia slowly wakes up, everything was light, like the weight of the world was not on her shoulders, and the hangover simply wasn’t there.

The air was so crisp and clean, and a small blue butterfly lands on her finger tip. She raises her head off the pillow and her arm. Lifting the butterfly towards her face she studies its patterns intensely.

“Wow” Lydia lets out breathlessly.

Warm hands move along her waist to engulf her from behind, “You are a goddess” Meliorn whispers into her ears.

“You weren’t joking last night, when you said sex is an act of worship for Seelies” Lydia smirks as she turns her head backwards.

Kissing him softly Meliorn’s hands continue to wander, “allow me to worship you some more, we have many hours before we need to be at the rendezvous point”

“Thank you” Lydia gulped, she thought she would die never being with another person, “for this gift”

Meliorn seems surprised, the gift was equally his, “And to think, I would never have thought you would’ve had me in handcuffs again after the last time”

Lydia bursts out laughing to the reference, Meliorn had been on and off with Izzy at the time and the clave had issued orders for his arrest, “Well, I blame you for looking good in them”

She leans further in to kiss him again, his lips soft and electric, his breath crisp and fresh like the morning air. Perhaps this was an illusion, brought about by the day ahead, but Lydia hadn’t felt contentment like this before.


	26. The fall of Angels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec and Clary lead the downworlders and clave into a final confrontation with the Angels and the Fallen.  
Will this be their final hour or their finest hour?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end, over a year of work and plotting. I'm sorry it took so long but life (and a pandemic) kind of happened.  
I hope you find this resolution enjoyable. I know I've cried a fair bit over it having to write and edit and rewrite it. 
> 
> As always, smutty scenes are labelled
> 
> Many thanks to my Betas - @Hittiske and @SheWillHuntYouDown

**\---Scene 1---**

“Daddy, I can’t find Feigenbaum” Maxie pouted.

“Feigenbaum?” Maryse asks, standing next to Luke who was now buried under an avalanche of bags that Magnus had given them to take.

“He’s the master of chaos grandma" Maxie looks around the sofa pulling the cushions off and inspecting every inch.

“The master of what?” Maryse looks at Alec wide eyed.

“He’s a stuffed rabbit, my little blueberry is quite fond of him aren’t you" Magnus smiles and ruffles his hair.

“It’s a math thing apparently” Rafe shrugs, “Uncle Simon got him it"

“Of course he did" Luke chuckles, before looking at Maryse who was still confused, “Chaos theory"

“Now, their casual clothes are in this bag, evening and dinner wear in here, if you need it" Magnus starts explaining

“Isn’t this... too much?” Luke looks exasperated by the fretting Warlock

“Too much is his middle name" Alec snorts

“Found it!" Maxie screamed and he jumped up and down with the toy that had been lurking behind the TV.

“Don’t forget your bow for training" Alec calls out to Rafe handing it over to him.

“Papi, this is your favourite bow” Rafe points out confused, “This is _yours_”

“Actually, it’s your father’s, technically. I was just keeping it for him" Alec smiles, remembering their interaction after Izzy's trial from what seemed forever ago.

“Right" Magnus’s lips tremble as he puts on a fake smile, “Time you boys headed off for your vacation with your Grandmother"

The boys hugged their fathers. Alec noticed how hard Rafe held him especially after Alec had said they would see him soon. Alec could feel it in his core, Rafe knew, or at least knew something was going on. When Alec placed a kiss on the boy's forehead Rafe just hugged him as tightly as possible.

Maxie on the other hand seemed oblivious, excited to go on some kind of adventure with his grandmother.

“Say hi to Catarina for me when you get to the safe house?” Magnus knew of course Maryse would. Maryse and Catarina being a critical part of evacuations of the children of Nephilim and Downworlders alike to safe houses in preparation of the attack tonight.

Maryse nods, hugging Magnus tightly before doing the same with Alec. It broke Luke’s heart, although he’d never admit it, because he felt the pulling in his gut that once he had dropped Maryse and the boys to the safe house, he’d have to perform the same goodbye before heading into battle.

Alec whispered into Maryse’s ear, “If I don’t survive this, I know you’ll make damn sure my children do”

Maryse pulled away, smiled and wiped her eyes, “Till my dying breath". Returning to the embrace Maryse held Alec’s hair in her fingers, remembering all the times she had held him as a baby, the hair less soft and fine, but her baby boy's all the same, “Make sure it doesn’t come to that"

“I’m about to break a lot of noses" Alec chuckled to hide the pain.

Maryse finally gathered the strength to let go, put on a wide smile and held her hands out for the boys to grab.

Luke almost comically struggled to get out the door with all their bags and as they left through the door of the apartment the boys waved energetically with Magnus and Alec doing the same.

After a few moments and knowing they had left the floor the door closed itself and Magnus fell to his knees.

Alec quickly rushed over and joined him, he placed Magnus’s face in his hands, the familiar callus fingertips of an archer bringing Magnus’s attention to his husband.

“We get through this together, we get through this for our boys" Alec kissed him reassuringly, “we’re gonna get through this baby"

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because we have to, for each other and for them," Alec softly brushes his lips again to Magnus’s, their faces red, puffy and wet from the tears.

“My makeup is all smudged" Magnus whines half jokingly.

Alec waved his hand and the makeup resets  
  


**\---Scene 2---**

The air was still and calm, it made Evan’s skin crawl, the anticipation was quite unnerving, his husband Isak glanced back at him, gripping their weapons ready for the oncoming battle.

“Those two are making me even more nervous than I was before" Alec admits as he turns back to the field control centre they had set up.

Elena walks up to the group with a troubled look, “Reports from surveillance near Idris", she hands something to Alec but he’s still busy with Magnus going over something so Izzy grabs it and looks it over.

“Fighting has broken out in Idris, and a large explosion near the accords hall" Izzy bites her lip unsure what to make of it.

Alec’s eyes glanced up momentarily before he returned them to the task at hand, clearly fighting with himself not wanting to get distracted.

“Is the... is it a good thing?” Simon asks, genuinely unsure

The truth is no one is really sure what it means and if it is good or bad.

“How many flyers have we got?” Clary asks, turns away from the table she, Alec and Magnus are working from.

Maia looks over the figures, “just under 25%”, if anything, this was an impressive number as Warlocks couldn’t use the winged rune, less than 1 in 10 wolves and vampires could fly but Seelies and Nephilim were the most adept at using it. It was often compared to singing, some had a natural talent for it, a few could be trained but it took a lot of work to get them to just get the basics down. 

“I don’t think I’ve seen so many downworlders in one place" Raphael remarked looking out over the Miura Peninsula, the number was too many for Raphael to count.

“We’ve got pretty much everyone here. But some of them have not exactly seen battle before" Maia worried out loud, there was also the concern that in taking this stance, all the institutes were basically empty worldwide, everyone was here except the children and vulnerable who had been transported to safe houses in remote locations.

“You’re right, some of them haven't seen a battle, but in this situation, any one person could make the difference to this being a success or a failure” Alec interrupted

“Luke, Bat, Underhill and Lorenzo will join Lexi and Nichita on the southern front" Alec read out the assignments

Luke rolled his eyes and sighed

“Problem?” Alec glared at him

“Did you need to put me with Robert?” Luke cringed a little

“Unless you want to join Max on damage control, get over it" Alec moved swiftly on.

“Izzy, Meliorn, Raphael, Maia, Simon and Isak will join the omega teams"

The omega teams were the elite flyers, the most skilled amongst the allied army. They would intercept any Angels who breached the lines before they could reach Tokyo

“Where’s Jace? I’d feel better if we had at least one of you, pure angel bloods with us" Raphael teased

“He'll be here” Clary said nervously, Alec hadn’t even acknowledged his absence, Jace wouldn’t let them down, he would be here in time.  
  


**\---Scene 3---**

“So...” Robert struggled, “Are you both doing well?”

Luke looked at him like he was an idiot, but he could tell Robert regretted it the second he asked. Changing his mind from being snarky Luke simply responded, “Yeah, all things considered"

Luke didn’t really like Robert, but he had custody of Max, at least whilst Maryse had been excommunicated. Even when Maryse was pardoned, Max had grown used to living with his dad and preferred to stay there for most of the time. It was still painful for Maryse but both her and Luke were determined to be civil with Robert for Max’s sake

Lexi and Bat exchange glances, the impending battle would be less uncomfortable right now, almost. Nichita on the other hand just grunted at the various conversations as he sharpened a blade.

“We’re expecting the Angels to appear off the coast. Why don’t they just breach near Tokyo centre if that’s their target" Bat asked, trying to change the topic

“It’s the largest target, but there are dozens of Demon bases in the region, if they appeared at Tokyo they would have been assaulted from behind, especially by the Yokohama base. Easier to take them on one by one sequentially without worrying about fighting on two fronts" Luke explained, “Besides, the wards the demons use makes it harder to get an exact location when breaching. Like messing with a compass”

Meanwhile Lorenzo was fussing over Andrew, making sure he had everything, that he remembered everything he needed to do. If he could fly, he would be joining Andrew up in the air, it was something he truly hated about these fights.  
  
“Fly fast, remember you’re smaller and faster than Angels and Fallen, use it” Lorenzo checked the straps on Andrew’s left leg holster.

“Baby” Andrew sighed, more upset that Lorenzo was worried than he was worried for himself.

“Remember, don’t attack directly if you see a higher being fighting another, you’re not there to kill them, injure and get out, they’ll kill each other so don’t try unless you are confident you can deliver a killing blow and get out in time”

“Lorenzo, I _was_ at the briefing”

“I know, I know, I just don’t want you taking chances, I know you too well” Lorenzo fretted, grabbing his stone and showing Andrew, “I’m going to be on the ground, jamming them up as much as I can, no one is laying a finger on my man”

Bat, being a wolf with keen senses, was the first to notice the change in the smell, that characteristic coppery taste in the air, “Umm, guys, I think they’re here"

Lexi climbs up the slope they were on to get a better view of the bay. She had felt fear before but not like this, this went down to the very bone. The skies were filled with two enormous armies, the likes of which she had never seen. Whilst the Fallen seemed to have fewer numbers, most likely due to Alec’s attack in hell, both sides had enough numbers to fill the skies. In previous encounters with large forces, it seems like a swarm, but from this distance, each side was like a single fluid mass, as if water could think and fly. 

The Angels were 25km from land heading directly north and the Fallen had appeared along the coastline.

Expecting something different the Fallen were clearly confused at first, but when they saw the Angels heading towards their position, they quickly flew out to sea to meet them head on. The screeching in air was otherworldly and was like nails on a chalkboard.

Alec’s plan was working, the Angels and the Fallen would meet head on, the second the Fallen realised what was happening they were going to defend their eastern hemisphere’s staging platform, for it to get destroyed would be too much of a major blow.

Both sides were trapped in an inescapable situation, and if they had intended to retreat, the wards raised by the warlocks were preventing it.

The allied armies of the downworld and Clave were on the Miura Peninsula to the east of the bay, making sure the Angels wouldn’t be able to bypass the Fallen and head to Tokyo via the pass to Tokyo bay. To the west of the bay are mountains that had been covered by various demon towers and light mines, it was also a large barrier for the Angels to try and go round to get to Tokyo. Anyone with a stone could sense the confusion and panic amongst all the higher beings. None of them had expected this.  
  


**\---Scene 4---**

“They’re heading straight for each other" Izzy remarked

Clary nodded, holding tightly onto her stone, “It’s like they don’t even know we’re here”

Simon added “or don’t care”

Alec agreed, the Angels and Fallen had been forced into a situation which caught them both off guard and now they were backed into a corner, they had to fight.

Alec knew however that this wasn’t enough, he needed them to talk to him and Clary. He tightened his grip on his own stone, not feeling a response, “Then we best get their attention, what boats do we have near them?”

“7 through to 15, 24 and 36" Elena checked her screen

“Let’s light them up” Alec nods

Out amongst the sea, a scattering of commandeered boats floated aimlessly in the waters. A bright light emanated from quite a few of them, causing Alec and the others to cover their eyes for a split second, the light pulsated, seconds later a loud roar, louder than lightening, rang through their ears as the sound and shockwave hit them.

Who knows how many Angels and Fallen had been hit, but it clearly had an impact which Clary sensed through the stone. She looked at Alec with wide eyes, “I think we pissed them off”

Alec gulped, “Yup”  
  


**\---Scene 5---**

Andrew panted as he flew as fast as he could, weaving in and out of the ever changing maze of Angels and Fallen, it was so chaotic and disorientating, there were moments he wasn’t even sure what was up and what was down.

Powerful beams of light shone out of his hands in a myriad of directions, short, powerful pulses that were never in the same direction twice.

As he zoomed on ahead a large Fallen, like a wall of black thick smoke blocked his way and he came to a sudden stop and flew away in a different direction, the sudden sharp change was physically taxing on Andrew’s body.

A 12 foot Angel then blocked his path and just as it was about to swing it’s arm, holding what looked like a sword of pure light, it froze and screamed, Andrew couldn’t make out the expression but could feel the pain coming off it like waves of heat. He looked downwards over land and with his runes activated saw about a mile away Lorenzo focusing intensely, his mark not even glamoured.

Before Andrew could deliver a blow, a black puff of smoke impaled the Angel from behind forcing Andrew to fly out of the way before the Fallen could attack him.  
  


**\---Scene 6---**  
“Come on, speak to us” Clary begged in a hushed whisper  
  
“They might not even be listening” Alec sighed, “Magnus can you dial up the stones?”

“You’re kidding me, right? It took days to recalibrate it to the settings you and Clary gave me, and even then, it’s on a knife edge that the Angels or Fallen could take control of you!” Magnus grew angry, this was a dangerous plan to begin with so he sure wasn’t going to do anything outside of the plan that would endanger them further.

“Fine,” Alec snapped, looking back at Clary he shrugs, “Any ideas Fairchild?”

Clary shakes her head before a light bulb moment hits her and she grabs an andamas dagger and draws a rune on it that disintegrates it to dust, “Thank you Ithuriel” she mutters.

Clary quickly pours half into Alec’s hands and scatters her half around her in a circle before continuing to focus using the stone. Alec quickly follows suit, hoping this will be enough to push through and get the Angels and Fallen to talk to them.  
  


**\---Scene 7---**

Luke narrowly misses a beam of powerful energy, “I’m too old for this shit” he mutters out of breath as he spins downwards towards an Angel. Out of nowhere a flying wolf hits him from the side, his snout buried into his side as he is knocked off course. It takes a few moments to regain some stability in his free fall as he looks up to see the carcass of the wolf falling and burning with a gaping hole through its chest.

Luke realised he had just been saved, and he didn’t even recognise the wolf, who were they, what pack did they belong to, will they ever know he died so valiantly to save another.  
  


**\---Scene 8---**  
Manuel swung his blade deep into the guard, his face covered in cuts and blood, not all of it his own.

“We still have endarkened in eastern gardens” Aaron huffed.

“We do this, and more will come to our side” Manuel argued

Aaron hated this, a part of him wanted to be with the others in Tokyo, with his son, but he had volunteered, determined to make sure that his homeland was reclaimed, so that one day his son Seb could call it home himself.

Manuel finished tying the spear to the balcony of the accords hall firmly. It looked over the pillars of smoke coming from all parts of the city.

Manuel went back into the main room and picked off the floor the head he had so recently taken, placing it firmly onto the spear so that all could see, Zara was dead. It wasn’t an easy kill either but if everyone else could see if, it might inspire them to rise up against the endarkened Nephilim who had so obviously corrupted their holiest of lands.

“Ready to go?” Manuel taunted back at Aaron  
  


**\---Scene 9---**  
“They’re breaking through the lines” Isak called out, “Guess that’s our cue”

Red flares shot out from their position in Yokosuka, and Isak, Izzy, Meliorn, Raphael, Maia and Simon flew up to join the rest of the omega units. Several thousand strong, flying omega units of shadowhunters, wolves, seelies and vampires swarmed the few Angels, getting through their lines.

  
**\---Scene 10--**  
The warehouse collapsed behind them in a fireball and scorched the nearby buildings, taking care of the last large infantry of endarkened. Now the few remaining were dispersed throughout the city and the people had snapped, edged on by seeing Zara’s head on a pike.

Aaron was the first to notice the street darken. He spun around on his heels to see the afternoon sun being blotted out by a mass of Angels, such was their numbers.  
  


**\---Scene 11---**  
The vast majority of the Angels were tied up with the fallen, but some, no doubt an elite force amongst the angels, had managed to break the allied army’s lines to the east, and having punched a small hole in those defences, many angels were attempting to get through.

The vanguard of the angels were now 10km past the peninsular and into Tokyo bay.

Izzy called Alec and Clary through her earpiece, “Alec!”

Alec nodded and Elena activated a beacon which sent out a signal that frankly most of them had hoped they would never need to use (but knew they would in all likelihood)

Portals emerged just outside the wards over Kawasaki, filling the night air like fireworks as countless, tens of thousands of Demons and their downworlder allies emerged and headed south to hit the oncoming Angels.

Izzy froze in mid-air, they had suspicions that the Demons outnumbered the allied forces but not to the extent of 3 to 2. If it hadn’t been for the fact the demons were expected Izzy would have been petrified.

Jace and Hyun-Joo flew behind the lines, past Yokohama and landed next to the field command Alec, Clary, Magnus and the others were based on.

Alec smiled fondly at Jace, he knew they would come.

Hyun-Joo stepped forward, Magnus gritted his teeth and red magic flared up his arms for a moment.

“Calm down Warlock, we are allies are we not?” Hyun-Joo smirked  
  


**\---Scene 12---  
\---Flashback---**

_Earlier...  
“It’s a sweet story, the woman and the brother you love but you want us to fight alongside the Clave, who we have been at war with?” Hyan-Joo laughed rumbushkly.  
  
“The enemy of my enemy…”_

_“Is still my enemy!” Hyan-Joo tutted_

_“The Angels and the Fallen have destroyed plenty of your kind too!”_

_“The Angels, mostly!” Hyan-Joo pointed out, “The Fallen? Well, it was inevitable some of our kind would perish in the crossfire.”_

_“You’re in denial” _

_“Why should I join your fight against the Fallen? They have gifted us after all, and they ask nothing in return except that we be ourselves” _

_“I’m not asking you to fight the fallen, right now the Angels out number them and we alone can’t hold them all back. But you must find it compelling, Tokyo is of major significance to your people”_

_Hyan-Joo didn’t like the idea of supporting the Clave but it did make sense, Tokyo was too important for it to fall, “What makes you think we won’t kill you all, we’ve never had the chance to get the Nephilim in one place before”_

_“As I said, I don’t think you will want to after it is all said and done” Jace crossed his arms, sizing up her reactions_

_“Because of this so called “secret plan” you claim the Fallen have do you think I’m an idiot, you can’t turn me against them”_

_“You show up and judge for yourself” Jace huffed_

_“I’ll admit, you do make an interesting offer if nothing else”_

  
**\---Scene 13---**  
“So you’re the man who has caused me so much trouble” Hyun-Joo jokes

Alec concentrates on the stone.

Hyan-Joo takes a seat, somewhat annoyed by the lack of response, but enjoying the spectacle unfolding above them, a battle like none had seen, and what brought a smile to her face was seeing Angels being killed, the slaughter of Fallen had little impact on her enjoyment. In all honesty her desire to see the Angels suffer outweighed the concern for the Fallen.

Elena spoke out, “Reports coming in from stone bearers”

“Yeah, I can feel it” Alec smiled, known that it gave Idris a chance

“The Angels are calling on their remaining forces from Idris” Clary didn’t quite feel as happy as Alec, aware that if they came it would likely not be from the south but rather from the west, and that could destabilise the battle somewhat.  
  


**\---Scene 14---**  
“We’ve won, the Endarkened are defeated and the few remaining are being slaughtered as we speak” Manuel looked confused

“Listen to me, we have to get everyone out of here, now!” Aaron demanded.

Manuel trembled as the cloud of Angels crept close, the first few volleys hitting the outskirts of the city, igniting them in flames, and the most soul piecing screeches from the people below.

Manuel stood frozen. Aaron quickly opened the secure portal built into the archway, one of the entry points Manuel’s insurrectionists had created, rushing people through as quickly as he could.

“AARON!” Manuel called out.

They both stood confused as the Angels seemed to pause mid-air, suspended like dust in beams of sunlight. Then as quickly as they had paused, they continued to fly but rapidly changed direction to head towards East.

Manuel burst out into tears and laughter, and exhausted he collapsed to the ground.

  
**\---Scene 15---**  
Simon wasn’t the strongest amongst the group but he was one of the swiftest, he suspected it was something to do with his wings, they had a glow to them, as if the angel blood in his system gave them some kind of added strength, resilience and speed.

He manages a killing blow to the Angel below him, much to his own surprise. As the Angel disintegrates and howls out Simon comes face to face with a demon to his left. It startles him and they nervously lock eyes for a moment before awkwardly nodding towards each other, remembering that for this fight at least, they are allies.

Only a few hundred meters away Simon sees Izzy trying to shake an Angel when he notices another from above diving at incredible speed towards her.

With all his might Simon darts towards her, “IZZY” he calls out. Time slows down, he hears a heartbeat, but it’s not his, it’s Izzy’s from across the distance and in the depth of the chaotic battle, he hears it.

The closer he gets the slower time seems to pass, the more he starts to realise he won’t reach her in time. With every ounce of willpower he tries to fly faster, harder, to get to her.

Just as the angel above is about to lunge at her, another grabs her and zooms towards the roof of a tower, Raphael. Simon follows quickly behind them but whilst most of the Angels gets distracted, one is following them.

He is not a fighter, he knows that, but he would stop this Angel, no one would harm Izzy, he thought.

Taking the Angel by surprise by the sudden reversing, Simon latches on to its back, his hand clawing at the Angel’s neck and shooting powerful light, enough to harm but not kill.

Simon could swear he heard Izzy’s thoughts, “don’t do it” it said over and over. Few vampires had been so close in battle to an Angel, a few had even attempted to bite them in an attempt to gain the daylighter powers that many suspected was the cause of Simon’s own abilities. But pure angel blood, directly from the source seemed to overwhelm them, normally causing the destruction of both the vampire and the Angel.

Simon knew what this would do to him, but they were closing fast on Izzy and Raphael and he would protect Izzy at all costs.

He bit down hard, this was nothing like biting Jace, this was overwhelming, like devouring heaven itself. Simon closed his eyes as he drank, knowing his destruction was moments away.

A howl came from the Angel as it disintegrated and with a bang Simon was knocked back but not killed. And in the split second he realised he was alive he wondered if the angel blood already in his system, that had already changed his body so much, had protected him from being overwhelmed.

Simon was in freefall fading in and out of consciousness.

“Do I have to save all of you, Lewis?” Raphael’s voice brought him back to reality as he started to come to consciousness, noticing the rooftop he was laid down on.

He ran to Izzy and hugged her.

Izzy held back just as tight. Simon’s legs gave way, still shaky from the bite his balance had completely gone.

A short, guttural, piecing cry drew Izzy’s and Simon’s attention to see Raphael impaled by an Angel.

“No” Izzy screamed with tears in her eyes

A bright light emerged from behind her, so strong she shielded her eyes. The howls of the Angel echoed in Izzy’s mind as the light continued to pulsate in waves before stopping.

Izzy turned around just in time to see the light collapse back into Simon’s fist, which was held high in the air.

Simon ran towards Izzy and Raphael and fell to his knees.

Izzy quickly tries to draw an Iratze rune on Raphael, his alliance rune to Isak still seemed to be in effect, but it didn’t seem to be enough to heal him.

Raphael’s eyes welled up, he felt his life slipping from him. Both hands held, one by Izzy and one by Simon, he could hear them begging him to stay, to fight, to not die, but it sounded distant as if he was hearing underwater.

Izzy held his head, and noticed he turned to look northwards, away from the battle and into the night sky. Raphael smiled softly and to no one in particular, he exclaimed in a hushed whisper “they’re the same stars in Mexico”

Izzy knew what it meant when he stilled, “It’s ok, she’s waiting, she’s waiting for her big brother” She kissed him on the forehead, sobbing and trembling as his skin and flesh collapsed and gave way to a red embers and finally ash that fell through her fingers.

Simon wiped away his own tears and leant to Izzy to embrace her

  
**\---Scene 16---**  
“Sayang putra” Magnus whispers as his eyes water when he senses something terrible has happened

Alec feels through his wedded union rune, an overwhelming sense of loss from Magnus and reaches a hand backwards to hold his grieving husband when he falls to the floor as does Clary

Hyun-Joo quickly comes over, with an expression of concern that shocks Magnus.

“No! Do not interrupt!” Magnus snaps at her, the others in the room looking equally concerned but a bit more clued in. “They were hoping the Angels and the Fallen could be provoked into doing this”

“I don’t understand” Hyun-Joo admits

“Alec didn’t just ask you here to hold the line” Magnus spits, “He wanted the demons to know what is at stake here, just as much as our own people”

Magnus kneels beside them both, runes glow on his skin and magic flows through his hands.

“Are you sure you can do this?” Elena asks nervously

“You ask that now?” Magnus rolls his eyes.

“What’s he doing?” Hyun-Joo turns to Elena for answers.

“A mixture of runes and magic, he did something similar once with his father, projected what was in his mind so everyone could see what was happening” Elena crosses her fingers, “only this time he is going to show everyone, every Nephilim, Demon, Wolf, Seelie, Vampire and Warlock”

Hyun-Joo and everyone else look around the room, confused as images overlap their own vision, “I can see” she admits.

  
**\---Scene 17---**  
**\---Alec POV---**  
Alec finds himself in an endless white room, spotless and eternal. “Where are you” he asks looking in every direction.

A faceless humanoid figure passes him to the right and disappears out of Alec’s line of sight. Confused, another walks behind him, each time he tries to see the figure near him it just goes out of his sight.

“Why do you oppose us” a soft voice calls out, “we only want to help you”

“By killing millions? Entire towns, cities, countries perhaps?” Alec spits back

By this point Alec stays still, trying to turn around to see the faceless figures is making him dizzy

“The others are a disease. The infection must be stopped or the body as a whole will die”

Alec growls, “Then why haven't you stopped the Fallen!”

** _\---Flashback---  
_ ** _"He's asking about attacks at the higher planes and about casualties, between the Angels and the Fallen"_

_"Simon, you said you couldn't get that information" Izzy adds_

_"I tried back when Alec was in hell, trying to get the number of casualties to contextualise the impact of Alec's attack, but I just kept getting nothing. I know Abdiel is boosting the codex but it's clearly not enough to get everything"_

_Clary wants to bite her tongue so hard, out of a need to hurt and feel hurt, "You misunderstood Simon"_

_Alec reclines in the chair, and points at the last word of each response to each question Alec had asked; which was identical regardless of the question._

_Simon's eyebrows shot up like they could escape, his eyes widened, "OH. OH FUCK!"_

_Jace looked at his two best friends, his Parabtai and the vampire, "What is it?" he says softly_

_"It's nothing" Simon lets out a sharp soundless whine, like a shudder, like something foul had tried to caress the skin along his spine. He shakes his head, "It's nothing at all"_

_Jace grows angry, now was not the time to keep anything from him, he needed to know too. _

_“Simon!” Jace shouts_

_“No, I mean the answer, it’s nothing” Simon places a hand to his mouth, “I thought it meant there was no information available, but it literally means there was nothing there, no deaths, no battles, no attacks” _

_“But you said the barriers between the Angel’s and the Fallen’s dimensions had already collapsed” Jace pointed out, “You were mistaken?”_

_“No that’s right too, there is nothing stopping them from attacking each other but they just... aren't. They haven't even tried!”_

**\---Clary POV---**  
“I finally understood this war when I saw through the codex that the barriers between your realm and hell has gone” Clary huffs  
  
“The codex is gone, reduced to a blank slate as the walls between worlds collapse” a voice steps out of the shadows, one Clary is all too familiar with; Dot.

“That’s what you thought, what you hoped, when you got Asmodeus to dispose of it, but when it returned to our possession, the link was kept intact”

Dot’s face scrunched up, like it has eaten something foul, “You don’t have that kind of power”

“No, but higher beings do” Clary smirked.

**\---Alec POV---**  
“You could have gone to hell, you could have wiped them out, why haven't you!” Alec snarls

“You... do not understand, you are a lower being"

“No. I understand alright, and that’s what has you scared; that we might just understand, that we would know the truth”

**\---Clary POV---  
**“The others stand for the collective above all else, no individual, no emotion, just rules. You are just a cell in a body to them, worthless and replaceable. An existence, not a life”

Clary is shocked but hides it well when she sees her father come out of the dark shadows that surround her

“The law is hard, but it is the law. Emotions are a weaknesses” Valentine scoffs, “Suppression of your given humanity. You of all people should understand this”

Valentine starts to circle Clary, “The Clave, with their rules and restrictions. How many times has breaking them saved countless lives? You killed Jonathan and saved your kind, the Angels punished you. You saved the world from the queen of hell, you stopped me, you brought someone you loved back from the dead and the Clave sentenced you to death”

**\---Alec POV---**  
“Look at what you have achieved, together” the voice continued “That is truth”

Alec shakes his head, “No”

“Look at how powerful you have become; you unite the downworlders and the Clave. Look at all humanity has achieved working as one despite the interference of the others, imagine what this world would look like, how high they could reach when all that selfishness melts away- you will have a power that rivals even that of the creator.”  
  


**\---Clary POV---**  
“You’re not my father!” Clary bites his tongue

“And look at you now” Valentine smirks as he continues, “Stronger, better, more powerful than you ever was before, by following that” he points at his own heart, “See that’s what the others don’t understand, how deep your feelings run, how powerful they make you, it was the greatest gift the creator gave you. The others want to take that away. We? We embrace all that you are”

**\---Alec POV---**  
“That’s why you’re doing this, why you attack the Demons and not the Fallen, you don’t want to kill the messenger, you want to kill the message!” Alec shouts in anger, “Make it harder for the Fallen to influence us, ensure we follow your ideology”

“After all, if you destroy the Fallen, they will never know you were right, and they were wrong” Alec continues

**\---Clary POV---**  
“All this is about ideology, and nothing more” Clary scowls as Valentine walks back into the shadows only for the visage of her brother to emerge

“What isn’t little sister” Jonathan smiles warmly, it takes everything Clary has not to break at the sight of the brother she could never save in life. “Embrace who you are, or give it all up for the collective”

“There are more options than the ones you give us!” Clary huffs, “The creator tasked you, all angels, to watch over us, to guide us, to nurture us. But not anymore! This isn’t about helping us, this is about you being right!”

**\---Alec POV---**  
“You’re using us as a proxy war, getting us to decide who is right and who is wrong, we’re the pawns on your chess board, manipulating us through the telephone line, making us take sides, giving us trinkets to out edge the other, mortal cups, swords and mirrors” Alec’s face grows angrier

**\---Clary POV---**  
“None of this is for our benefit, it’s for yours!” Clary shouts, her eyes glow and the rune she and Alec had discussed earlier appeared.

Jonathan's eyes fall, ever so slightly downwards. It was like a child who had been caught out in a lie

**\---Alec POV---**  
“You could have reinforced the walls the second Edom was destroyed” Alec puts his hand down and the rune he drew fades, “You’ve had the ability all this time, fuck, you could have made the walls stronger than they ever were before! Enough to block the Fallen off for good, enough to stop them being able to exert ANY influence. All with a single fucking rune”

**\---Clary POV--  
**“But like I said” Clary snarls at Jonathan, “You need them to see that they lost and that you won”

Clary starts to circle Jonathan, the tables turned and she looks at him like a predator, “You moved my brother into position perfectly, moved us all into position perfectly, through your whispers, through the telephone line. Making sure he got hold of the Morgenstern sword so he could create a wound in the fabric of the walls that separate planes of existence, a wound you then ensured we would infect with heavenly fire”

Jonathan nods, “Only he could do it, it’s why I was created”

“You are not Jonathan”

“Those whispers are why your father craved demon blood for his experiments in the first place, a Nephilim with demon blood, strong enough to wield its sword. Why Izzy was hit by shrapnel. Why Lilith raised an army against Magnus.”

“You did all that?” Clary questioned him further, suspicious of his claim.

“Do you have any idea how many lines need to intersect, for something like this to play out? How many events needed to be nudged in just the right direction?” Jonathan moved close to her ear, the breath sending shivers down her skin as she felt the breathing that wasn’t real, “You would be amazed at the power a whisper holds little sister” he whispered

**\---Alec POV---**  
“We can’t afford this anymore. This choosing sides between the two of you, it is killing us” Alec shakes his head “The Apokálypsi codex, meaning divine revelation.”

Alec gives a look of disgust and a huff in the direction of the visage “Well this is our apocalypse; What if we stop taking sides, what if we refuse to play a part in your war, what if we just simply walk away”

**\---Clary POV---**  
Jonathan fades into the darkness and like a furious fire coming through the smoke, red hair emerged and immediately before the face comes into focus Clary recognised her mother, “You cannot do that!”

“Your war, will it ever end?” Clary demands to know, the faintest smallest part of her hopeful that they will understand it is over for them.

“Not until we have saved you”

“Then there is no hope of peaceful coexistence” in every way Clary knew this would be the case, but hope is a hard thing to resist.

Clary pleads, as she had so many times with the real Jonathan, and like all the others she feared the outcome would be the same, “We are giving you a chance here, don’t you see that? _There is another way_”

“There is only the individual, and their god given right to become all they may want to”

**\---Alec POV---**  
“There is only the unparalleled power through unity that the creator gifted you with, through which anything is possible”

Alec looks onwards, ashamed and wounded, wishing the Angels would put aside their arrogance and need to be right and understand the situation for what it is, “No, we were gifted with both. We are strong together, and we are powerful as individuals. We can find our own way now”

“Children need leading” the visage scoffs

“We are not your children anymore, we are your equals, one last time, end this war or we will cut all ties with you, forever” Alec threatens, the outline of the rune hovering over his hand

**\---Clary POV---**  
“You do not have that power, even amongst us, only few would be strong enough to wield that rune” Joycelyn’s voice sounded further and further away from human, “You’re bluffing”

“Please” Clary begs, her tears cascade on her face, “The lower beings will not fight for you, either of you anymore. This is already at an End”

“You will fight, because we tell you to fight, there is no end without victory”

“Then you leave us with no choice” Clary’s heart sank, “Goodbye” she placed her hands on her faux-mother’s face

  
**\---Scene 18---**  
“Welcome back you two, I was starting to worry that we’d lose you in there for a moment, wherever you were, was starting to destabilise” Magnus holds them both as the stones drop out of their hands.

Alec presses his lips against Magnus like he hadn’t seen him for a thousand years.

“Did everyone see?” Clary asks

“We saw” a disgruntled Hyun-Joo crept up behind them, looking at Alec she bites her lip, “You were right” anger and hurt crept across her face, the Fallen didn’t really care about the demons, they were just a means to prove them right.

“They don’t seem happy with us” Jace flies down and embraces Clary

The fighting had stopped, the Angels and Fallen no longer at each other's throats but now calmly and still looking in the direction of the lower beings, hovering from a distance and in silence.

“They want to give us another chance, to choose a side” Hyun-Joo bites her lip until blood like Ichor flows down the side of her mouth.

Clary activates a rune, the same rune she had once used in Idris to speak to everyone there, every Shadowhunter, downworlder and Demon could hear her

“We have a choice to make” Clary’s voice croaked with hurt and a deep swell of sadness, “Allow the war to continue, or use the rune to end it all”  
  


_\---Flashback---  
“This rune can raise the barriers between planes of existence again?” Jia asks, fascinated by the drawing on the parchment. It was one she had seen early on when she had first started getting Clary to draw the new runes, she could never get anyone to figure that one out, the only effect it seemed to have was that when used, it would heat up popcorn in close proximity. _

_“The power needed to reraise the whole barrier would be immense, beyond any single one of us or most angels I would imagine” Izzy explains to the council_

_Maia stands, commanding the room with her presence, “What is to stop them from just taking it down again?”_

_“The barriers? If they had that ability, they would have used it long before now, we know that the only way the barriers were able to fall was using the Morgenstern sword to open a wound. If anything, they needed us to do it and that sword is destroyed now” Jace responds_

_“So that’s why you want to use the alliance rune on everyone, in one go? Is that even possible?” Meliorn is confounded by the whole situation. _

_“We know that the alliance rune could be used on more than one person, we’ve done it before in Edom, I will use it to connect everyone to me” Clary continues “Underhill has created a device to check the rune will be stable enough to channel that much power” _

_“But our collective forces may not be enough, we need more lower beings on our side in order to be able to use the rune to raise the barriers” Alec nervously adds_

_“Demons” Lily gulps, looking at Elena with concern  
\------_

The air around Clary crackles and sparks, her body seems to vibrate and tremor ever so slightly as the alliance rune glows ever so bright, placed from the middle of her neck and reaching down her chest to her heart.

By the time Izzy and Simon had made it back, the alliance rune was glowing on them too.

“Parabatai” Izzy cried out, only to be yanked back by Simon.

“No, Iz, remember, we can’t touch her right now, she is channelling everyone”

“You can’t know, you don’t feel the weight on her, it burns, god I can feel it burn” Izzy cries out.  
  


**\---Scene 19---**  
Luke looks over the dozen demons or so that had been fighting alongside him and the others, all but one nodding in agreement and allowing the alliance rune to take hold, their eyes glowed golden and rune appeared in their pupil like it was being projected in their very mind. It was the strangest sight Luke had ever seen, demons with a Nephilim rune on them.  
  
The one that hadn’t agreed, looked on with sadness, dropped its weapon and left.  
  


**\---Scene 20--**  
Izzy shakes her head, looking over at Alec and holding her Parabtai rune, “She can’t hold it”

There was too much energy going through the alliance rune, too many beings being interconnected, despite all the effort Clary had had practising, if they didn’t stop soon the rune would overpower her, who knows what that would do to her.

Jace nervously walks up to Clary from behind. Alec and Izzy quickly notice and beg him, “Don’t!” and “No!” Jace silently apologies as his eyes glow and an alliance rune appears on hand which he then places on Clary’s shoulder.  
  


_\---Flashback---_  
_Clary sighs at the distance she feels, “Jace, you’re gonna have to start letting me in, Alec too. You don’t have to hide your feelings from us" _

_“You’ve both got enough on your plates. I don’t want to be a burden" Jace mutters_

_“You could never be a burden, just talk to me"_

_“You’re going to be bound to everyone, aligned with everyone, even demons, but not me” Jace sulks, “I can’t help you, I can’t be there for you” _

_“We’ve talked about this, we know that Eros overwhelms alliance and parabatai runes, and we have no idea what kind of impact two angel blooded Nephilim being tied through an alliance rune would have. This isn’t like Edom where everyone was linked through Izzy, you’d be linked through me. It’s too dangerous”_

_“You know it would increase our chances, imagine how powerful that connection would be” Jace adds_

_“Yeah for like a like a minute at best before it becomes overwhelm” Clary sighs, brushing Jace's hair from his forehead as she sits in his lap.  
\------_

The light around Clary and Jace kept increasing, huge wings of pure energy sprang from Clary as she was consumed, becoming blinding to look at. The others could only peek through fingers that covered their eyes.

“Clary” Izzy called out, feeling the incredible surge of power running through her Parabatai, unlike anything she could imagine or even comprehend.

Everything shook around them, it felt like loud bass being played through a speaker in a nightclub next to the ear.

Izzy’s skin tingles and every hair stood on end. Through the corner of her eye she saw a rune emerging in the air, the rune to raise the barriers once more.

The vibrations in the air increased and the light from Clary intensified, night became day, brighter than day even, and the world seemed to resonate.

The connection amongst all lower beings crescendo with a massive pulse of energy, from the ground Luke and the others could see the higher beings being knocked backwards and fading into nothingness as they fell through the cracks and back to their plane.

The ringing in the ears stopped and night came flooding back to everyone's senses

Izzy rushed over to Clary laying on the floor, Alec was already there, knelt beside Jace with Magnus between both Jace and Clary, magic swirling from his fingertips.

“Come on Jace” Alec begged, tears streaming down his face. There was no pulse, no breath.

Both Alec and Izzy could feel the life slipping, the most painful thing they could feel, the death of their Parabtai’s were happening right before them.

And yet, just when it seemed inevitable that both would perish, Clary and Jace take a sharp intake of breath.

Izzy noticed the wedded union rune over her neck on the alliance rune. Alec felt the heat from the rune burning through to Jace’s hand as he held it.

Clary and Jace embrace each other tightly, letting out cries and laughter, Izzy and Alec are soon pulled in by the couple in a group hug.

Simon knelt down “Hey Fray, you gave us quite a scare there” he choked out.

Clary smiled widely, placing her hand over her new rune.

“So you decided to skip the ceremony? Really?” Izzy kissed Clary on the forehead, “How rude”

Jace buried his face in Clary’s neck, “How long were we gone?” he turned to Alec

“Seconds” Alec wiped his eyes, “But I know how long it feels like in there”

“You’re having a proper wedding though right? I know you’re technically married now, but you promised I would get to be the planner” Magnus teases

“When did we promise that” Jace shook his head.

“Well who else were you going to pick” Magnus scoffed

Simon stood back up looked out over the battlefield, it looked so much emptier now, “They’re really gone”

The others help Jace and Clary up, still feeling a bit weak but wanting to see the landscape.

“Yeah, they really are” Clary almost seemed surprised

“What do we do now?” Izzy asks

“I could do with a drink and a steak; medium rare” Magnus smiles

Alec laughs, “Is that what we’re doing, save the world, grab dinner?”

“I could go for some food” Jace holds on to Alec’s arms as he stumbles slightly, “although maybe a nap wouldn’t go a miss”

With everyone starting to make their way back to go do whatever, Simon takes a further moment of reflection, his mind going to those who hadn’t survived the fight and especially Raphael. But in spite of that sorrow, and the confusion of what next, a wave rushed over him of relief and joy.  
  


**\---Scene 21---**  
Hyun-Joo and 4 acolytes followed her into the hall.

Alec, Clary and Elena greeted them with an unfamiliar but natural comradery.

“I hear you have started to rebuild Alicante” Hyun-Joo smiled, her skin was a warmer tone than before but not much more.

“After the Angels attack and the endarkened, those that remained were easily brought back into the fold, they had had enough of the bloodshed” Alec nodded

“And how about you? Dudael?” Clary comes close to Hyun-Joo offering a hand which Hyun-Joo gladly holds for a moment, not quite a handshake but it was something.

“It’s taken some time to weed out the old guard but we have a homeland.”

“What will you do now?” Alec asks

“We’ve been driven by the Fallen for thousands of years to conquer and convert the mundane world, that impulse has left now the Fallen are gone, for the most part”

“For the most part?” Alec raises an eyebrow

“It’s hard for the older ones. But most of us were turned in this war, I guess that’s an advantage.”

Alec chuckles nervously, “Well just remind those older ones. We may not be at war with Demons but anyone who comes to this plane seeking harm to the mundane world, still has a Clave to deal with. It would be nice if your people would help in that regard”

“We’re not joining the Clave” she laughs, “besides, I think it is not just the Nephilim who would be uneasy at our presence”

“Lasting peace means maintaining it. It would be nice to have you at the table”

Hyun-Joo pauses, “I must admit, I had doubts that you would keep your word, after all, it wouldn’t have taken much more to block off Dudael with the new barriers”

“We had an agreement did we not” Alec smiled, “We’ve all been used, by higher beings, it’s time we found out what we are without them”

“And now for the last part of the payment” Hyan-Joo reminded them

Clary waved her hand over the rune in the floor and a platform raised holding up the mortal cup.

“How do I know that’s the real one?” Hyun-Joo teases

Clary holds it tightly, “Punch yourself in the face”

Hyun-Joo is compelled to do so and laughs it off, “Flirt” she mocks

Clary takes a blank card from her pocket and places the cup within the drawing, just like it had been when she had first found it years ago.

“Did you want to do the honours?” Elena asked

Hyun-Joo shakes her head and raises her hand with the palm open, “No, by all means it seems fitting Clary should do it”

Pulling out matches Clary burns the card in front of them all, letting the embers of the card fall to the ground.

“Hyun-Joo, why did you really do this?” Alec pulls her aside, the other demons get on edge, but she waves them down, indicating she is perfectly fine

“It was also strategically wise to align ourselves with you and protect Tokyo, not that our forces will remain there now of course”

“And the personal reason?” Alec pushed, he probably shouldn’t but as a father there was something about it all that made him feel he should push, that he would want someone to push him if the roles were reversed.

“You mean my child?” Hyun-Joo’s face drops, “An angel cursed her, a curse that couldn’t be lifted without that angel’s death, or as it turned out, its influence on this world being cut off. As a mundane I didn’t have the means to do that. I thought if I killed every Angel I could, directly or indirectly, it would lift the curse.”

“I’m very sorry, is she...” Alec asks cautiously.

“She was caught in the crossfire, the curse suspended her in a temporal status, a bit like Clary’s mother I believe. Caught in the moment of death, stuck for all eternity in that endless nightmare”

“So when we stopped the Angels and Fallen...” Alec shut his eyes

“My baby was finally released. My own transformation, everything I have done, everything I became, was worth it to spare her from an eternity of that” Hyun-Joo sighed

“And now we have peace, between demons and Nephilim” Alec smiled again, his face full of sympathy which did not go unnoticed by Hyun-Joo, it was not a look she was used to amongst the shadowhunters

“Let’s hope it will last,” she said, hopeful.  
  
  
**\---12 years after the war---**  
“Papi, I’m fine” Rafe protested

“No son of mine is going to look a state during his Parabatai ceremony” Alec huffed straightening Rafe’s jacket

“Papi” Rafe whined towards Magnus

“Oh no I’m not getting involved” Magnus smirked at Maxie, “Come on Blueberry let's go find the others while your father frets”

When they get to the terrace, overlooking the gardens of Idris everyone is chatting away in various groups.

“Maryse my dear you’re looking well” Magnus calls out as he approaches Maryse who is with her daughter, her youngest and only child with Luke.

“My Boys” Maryse squeals, she ruffles Maxie’s hair “And how is my little grandson”

“Grandma, I’m not little anymore” Maxie rolls his eyes,

Maxie turns to his younger aunt, Maryse and Luke’s daughter, “Hey Marisa” he signs to her.

Marisa smiles, and signs ‘hello’ back to Maxie. Even though she was younger than Max she had already outgrew him and stood a foot taller. She wore a yellow dress, and sparkly white shoes.

When she hugged and greeted him, she spun him around so fast, they became a blur of brown and blue skin.

Maxie continues to sign to Marisa, ‘Your hair looks nice’ noting the braids, normally Marisa would have them in a pony, often to one side.

‘Oh yeah, Mum did it’ she signs back  
  
‘Mum can we go find the other’s kids’ Marisa signed

Maryse chuckled, “go on then”

Maxie looks at his dad, “Do I have to, they are all so young”, Alec and Magnus had been the first to have kids, so he was older than most of the others there.

“They are family, it won’t hurt for you to spend some time with them, maybe even show off some magic tricks” Magnus smiled

Maxie and Marisa run off together into the crowd.

Marisa pulls Maxie to the left when she sees her Dad standing with Clary and Jace and some of their children.

“Dad, you and Maryse are coming to dinner tonight right? After the ceremony?” Clary asks Luke

Luke nods, he sees Maxie and Marisa running towards them.

‘Slow down’ Luke signs at them

Marisa looks sheepish, ‘Sorry Dad’

She turns to Clary and Jace, Jace holding a little boy with bright red hair, about 18 months old and clearly sleeping on his daddy’s shoulders. a 12 year old middle eastern boy and a 7 year old girl with blond hair wave to the two of them.

“Where’s Amira?” Maxie asks out loud

“She’s getting ready” Clary responds before looking at Jace, “I probably should go check in on her”

Today was a big day, Amira, who was 16 and the eldest daughter to Clary and Jace, would be taking her oath and becoming Parabatai to her cousin Rafe.

After the war lots of children were orphaned. Working in the aftermath Clary had come across a little 4 year old girl called Amira, who had fended off demons in the rubbles of an institute for weeks, all while holding on to her little brother who was about 3 months old.

Clary thought Amira was the bravest and strongest little girl she had ever come across, and incredibly smart; avoiding demons by outsmarting them or crawling into places the demons were too big to go down. Only with the peace between the demons and the others did children like Amira and her brother have a chance.

Jace noticed Clary’s strong motherly connection to the two children and suggested adoption, although he was sure she had already thought about it even if she hadn’t vocalised it.

“Does Xander and Josie want to come play?” Maxie asks in reference to the 11 year old and 7 year old respectively.

Josie and Jonathan were the biological children of Jace and Clary, but Josie only ever saw Xander and Amira as her big siblings, even if she would wind up Amira by trying to use her make up herself with disastrous results.

“Sure, but don’t go off the terrace kids” Clary smiles

As the kids ran off together Clary heard a little cry as their youngest started to wake up, “Want me to take Jonathan?”

“No, I got him” Jace frowned as he held their youngest tightly in his arms, he was like this when Xander and Josie had been this age too

Clary rolled her eyes as she sighs at Luke with a slight chuckle, “He is always like this when they are this little, he enjoys fatherhood way too much”

Elsewhere Max nearly falls over when a herd of children run past them, ‘Woah slow down sis’ he signs, Marisa signs back sorry to her big brother.

Max’s cousin Maxie, nephew Xander and niece Josie all shout out “sorry Max” as they continue to run off in their target direction.

“They were in a rush” Madzie returns back to Max with their drinks

“Kids” Max shrugs, he coughs slightly when he takes a sip.

“Oh come on this one is weak as piss” Madzie bursts out laughing

“Not all of us are blessed with a Warlock constitution for alcohol”

The group of children finally reach Izzy and Simon, their 6 year old son Levi, was tall for his age and had jet black hair like Izzy, but his father’s trademark smile. When Xander had turned 4, that was when Izzy and Simon reached the decision to start a family, it had taken a couple of years for the IVF to take, using Simon’s frozen sperm from when he was mundane.

“Go on” Izzy shook her head laughing as Levi looked up with puppy dog eyes before running off

“You know they are just going to get poor Maxie to do magic for them all” Simon laughed,

“True” Izzy nodded, looking at her watch.

“Such a worrier” Simon kissed her on the forehead and placed his hand on her slightly bulging midsection, “the scan isn’t for hours, we’ve got plenty of time to make it to the appointment”

Izzy’s worry wasn’t completely unfounded, having Levi had proved difficult, but it had taken 3 years this time for the IVF to take and Izzy knew she wanted more, if they could.

At the opposite side of the terrace Xander and Marisa found themselves hurtling towards the drinks table, and about to crash into it, advantage of the marble floor. Levi and Josie were stopped by a glow of blue magic from Maxie but catching all 4 at a split second’s notice was too much.

Luckily a number of vines quickly caught the two children in time and when they had come to a stop released them and disappeared into the foliage.

Maxie looked embarrassed by the other kids, while Xander and Marisa looked sheepish when they saw Meliorn standing over them.

Lydia is soon at Meliorn’s side with a beautiful and innocent child, their 9 year old daughter. She had white blond hair that fell down her waist and a long slender dress in a very light pink. Flowers were woven into her hair at the top.

“Rhiannon, why don’t you go off and play with the other children” Lydia leaned towards Meliorn as he threaded his hand into hers.

Meanwhile Clary closed the door of the dressing room, “How are you feeling?”  
  
Amira turns, startled a bit, “Umm”

“You look great sweetheart” Clary smiles as Amira looks back to the mirror and admires the deep purple plum dress her parents had gotten her.

“I’m so nervous, but also excited” Amira admits, “Was it like this for you an Aunt Izzy?”

Clary chuckles, “Me and Izzy didn’t exactly have a traditional ceremony”

Amira flings herself around her mother and Clary happily embraces her daughter.  
  


**\---25 years after the war---**  
Magnus wraps his arms around Alec and places his head on his shoulder. Small little kisses tickle Alec’s neck.

Alec was looking through photos from Rafe and Amira’s Parabatai ceremony

“Feeling sentimental?” Magnus purred

“No, actually looking forward to having time to make more memories like this” Alec held the hand wrapped around his chest.

“It’s going to be weird not having you as Consul anymore” Magnus admitted

“I should have let go sooner” Alec admits, “Now it’s time for the next person to come and shake things up”

“True but you know the demon council delegates are going to be nervous, you’re the only Nephilim they trust to be fair to everyone”

“Oh they’ll be fine, besides, the way things are going I don’t think they need to be worried, Maia is mopping up the vote across the board” Alec chuckles

“Hmm, the first downworlder Consul, it has a ring to it” Magnus admits

“She’s going to be bloody terrifying” Alec bursts out laughing, Maia was beloved by many, but she was a no-nonsense wolf. 

**\---126 years after the war---  
**“And who is that Grandpa?” the 10 year old girl asked Simon

“Leave your poor Grandfather alone” a tall woman with jet black hair, in her early 30’s approached them both.

“Oh I don’t mind” Simon smiled as the women walked over to give them both a hug.

It was something that Simon had gotten used to, his great great grandchild now looking older than he did, it had happened to all of his family.

“Now Becky, this one holding you as a baby was your great great great great Uncle Jace” Simon smiled

“He’s very old” she looks at the photo carefully.

“Oh yes, he was very old by that point” Simon admitted

“I thought mortals didn’t live that long?” the little girl asked

Simon nodded in agreement, “You’re quite right” he placed his finger on her nose “boop”

“Come on Grandpa, tell me”

“Well, no one really knows for sure. Some say it’s because his Parabatai was half-immortal that it gave him an extra long life. But I think it was because of his wife, Clary”

“Clary?”

“Yes, Clary Herondale, she was my closest friend, if I could have a Parabatai like you can angel, I would have picked her. When she passed away, she made him promise to look after their children. The youngest of their 4 children was Jonathan, he lived to be 104 years old, the same year that photo was taken, and the week after he passed away, your great Uncle Jace went and joined him wherever it is people go afterwards” Simon explained

“So, he was keeping a promise” Becky asked

“I like to think so” Simon admitted

“Go on, wash up little lady, it’s dinner time” her mother said

As the little girl ran off, she moved over to Simon, “I don’t like seeing you alone Gramps” she sighed.

“I’m not alone, I have my family” Simon pats her hand

“I know no one can replace Grandma Izzy, I wish I could have met her like Mom did but...” She sighs, “I’ve seen you alone my whole life. I just wish... you should have someone”

Simon smiles kindly, but shakes his head, he knows he is not ready.  
  


**\---309 years after the war---  
**Alec chuckled at the tv screen, watching the silly antics of the man in his 40s climbing a Christmas tree drunk.

“Haven't seen that one for a couple of decades” the tall handsome blue man sat beside his father, “He looks so young there”

_“Papi catch me!” the man yelled as he flung himself into the air with Magnus falling backwards to the ground as he magically caught him. _

“He was always terrible during the holidays” Maxie put his arms around his dad.

“Well he couldn’t hold his alcohol, the downside of being mortal” Alec laughed

“Where’s dad?”

“He is at the mall buying Christmas gifts for Uncle Max and Auntie Madzie”

Maxie rolled his eyes, “Oh he’s going to be hours isn’t he”

“He does like to spoil family” Alec admits, biting his nails he continues to watch the film.

The nail biting doesn’t go unnoticed by Maxie who cuddles up to his father more, “I miss him too”  
  


**\---578 years after the war---  
**“You don’t think you’d marry again?” Andrew asked surprised, Lorenzo shrugs, not too bothered by the conversation to be honest.

Simon shakes his head, “I don’t think, I mean I’ve been married 4 times now”

“Yeah but spent over two centuries alone after Izzy passed, you were such a bore back then, you’re more fun when you're not moping about lonely” Magnus teases. Alec covers his mouth to stop the laughter

“I don’t know, I’ve loved all my wives and husband, but none of them wanted to share my immortality with me” Simon groaned, he kind of wished one of them did. 

“Well that’s not a bad thing” Meloirn adds, “many people are in inter-mortality relationships”

Meliorn smiles fondly and Simon rolls his eyes, knowing he is thinking about some of his greatest loves, like Lydia, “I’m going to get some blood, anyone want anything from the buffet?”

After they all politely declined Simon wonders off, grabs a glass of blood, and finds a corner to hide in.

“Guess I’m not the only one who finds these official state things dreary” a deep voice called out.

Simon turned around too quickly and splashed some of the blood over the gentleman in front of him, all down his white shirt.

“Oh shit, I’m so sorry” Simon babbled

The man removed his blood soaked shirt, revealing chiselled abs covered in rune tattoos. When Simon looked up, he saw the most beautiful face, strong jaw, a few freckles, blond hair, and mismatched eyes.

“Don’t worry about it” the man smiled, “I can just get another, I live here”

“Oh, so you must be” Simon clicked realising

“Yeah, my dad is new Consul” he smiled

“You’re a Herondale!” Simon chuckled at the thought, it did make sense, he kind of looked like someone had fused Clary and Jace together

“Something wrong with that?”

“No, just, a funny coincidence” Simon smiled broadly as did the other man.

“I’m Will”  
  


**\---814 years after the war---  
(Smutty/Explicit)**

“Remember the first time we went to this place” Alec chuckled to himself as he looked out the windows of the Imperial Hotel

“What a weekend it was” Magnus sniggers his hands slide up Alec’s back as he whisks him round and places a kiss on Alec’s lips.

Alec closes his eyes and moans into the kiss. “Today has been like a dream. This has been the best anniversary. You’ve really outdone yourself”

Magnus chuckles, “Well, I’m sure there is some way you could show me your appreciation husband”

“After that hike, going around the museums, and the dancing, you think I have any energy left? “

“Yup”

Alec blushes, “You know me too well. I have to admit, I understand now why you always found museums hilarious”

“You were the one who got us kicked out for laughing your ass off” Magnus reminds him

“Well everything was, just, wrong!” Alec sniggered, “I mean who the hell thought a toilet plunger was some kind of dildo”

“After a few generations you’d be surprised how much the mundanes forget of their own history”

Alec sighs, takes in the air and the night view and leans into Magnus, his head into his neck, “Thank you for today”

Magnus lifts up his head and kisses him passionately but savouring the kiss like he never wanted it to end.

Piece by piece Alec undresses Magnus, teasingly, slowly, kissing and worshipping every bit of new rune covered flesh he exposed on Magnus, his favourite being the deflect rune Magnus had placed on his neck, a family tradition. Magnus’s deflect rune was smaller than Alec’s, and was further back, starting behind his ear.

After an eternity or teasing kisses Magnus is now fully naked, his hard length pressing up against his abdomen

“Oh, I’m a bit behind you Magnus” Alec notices he is still fully dressed and snaps his fingers, but his own clothes remain, Magnus chuckles, “Having trouble focusing?”

Magnus dives into Alec’s neck, kissing the skin and running his tongue along his deflect rune as his own cock leaks all over Alec’s white shirt making a complete mess.

Magnus’s fingers wander to the back, tracing down Alec’s spine until he hits the edge of his pants, he starts to lower them slowly. Alec bites his lip in a mixture of frustration or delight, unsure if the slow and tender pace was perfection or torture; it straddled the line.

Magnus pulls apart Alec’s cheeks and slides a couple of fingers into him, fingers that he clearly has magically lubricated. Magnus teases and plays with Alec’s hole with his fingers. Alec shudders at every hit of his prostate.

“I can’t wait any longer” Alec cries out as he practically rips his clothes off his body.

“Now darling” Magnus scolds him, looking quite serious, “I need to prepare you for what’s to come”

Alec feels something heavy pressing on his chest, he is standing and there is nothing there, but he feels it all the same. It makes him dizzy, unsure, like he might fall over with the room spinning.

Magnus squeezes his hand and brings him back to normality, “stay with me darling”

Magnus flips Alec and pushes him up against the hotel window. The glass is floor to ceiling and Alec has a view of the whole city and the stars.

“It’s quite the view” Magnus places a kiss on Alec’s nape.

“Yeah” Alec breathlessly agrees, looking out onto the cityscape.

“I meant you Alexander” Magnus continues, he moves his kisses down Alec’s back as the outside lights flood into the room, dancing and sparkling as Magnus reaches his goal.

Alec feels his body pushed up against the glass softly with his husband’s tongue diving into his hole.

Pre-cum leaks down the windowpane and his own throbbing cock is pressed between his warm stomach and the cold glass.

Alec feels proud and smiles contently as waves of pleasure ripple through his body.

Alec feels teeth playfully biting and scraping along his inner ass cheeks and along the entrance to his hole.

“I don’t think I can ever get enough of this” Magnus mumbles while he continues to slowly take his time, activating every nerve of pleasure he can find on Alec

“Of my…” Alec blushes for a second, Magnus loves when he does this, 800 years of a very active sex life and he still blushes sometimes

“No, darling, it’s not your ass that drives me wild, well, not just that” Magnus takes a deep breath, “It’s how beautiful you are when you let yourself go and you come apart under my tongue”

Magnus’s tongue dives back in and hits the right spot. Alec cries out loudly and unashamedly as he spurts thick white cum all over the window.

Alec’s hole clamping down on his tongue and the sight of his husband spray his load sets Magnus off.

Magnus falls apart seeing Alec come, knowing how sated he is in that moment. Without touching himself Magnus trembles as he let go without ever touching himself.

Magnus half falls backwards, his hands quickly finding the floor and legs feeling numb having stayed kneeling for too long.

Magnus’s chest is drenched, although not as much as the window.

Alec turns 180 and falls to his knees and lifts Magnus back up to his feet.

“You made quite the mess Husband" Alec teases, tracing his fingers along Magnus’s cum covered runes.

“You started it" Magnus chuckles.

Magnus goes to snap his fingers when the rough callous fingers of an archer grabs the wrist, “Allow me"

Alec pushes Magnus back onto the bed.

Alec’s tongue soon replacing his fingers in tracing the runes, licking up the mess off each one.

His taste buds sense the familiar and comforting taste of his husband, coating his whole mouth in an explosion of sensation.

Alec used his thumb to push the last drops from the corner of his lips back into his mouth.

Magnus can’t say he was too surprised, for Alec, taking his seed in any way, was an act of devotion (and of course his own enjoyment), it was his way of showing that he was grateful for all that Magnus gifted him and that it was eagerly received.

When he noticed Magnus start to soften, Alec placed Magnus whole length into his warm mouth and sucked hard to pull any last remnants of seed out to be swallowed.

For a few moments in the afterglow Alec sucked, and with a mouth full he asked in a muffled voice “I want you to make love to me, I want you inside me”

Magnus cupped his smeared face with his hand, “again Angel?”

Alec moved from his lazy suckling to something more active in response, this was no longer the lazy and blissful enjoyment of having his mouth filled, he was on a mission.

Unsurprisingly it doesn’t take too long for Magnus to get ready to fulfil his husband’s desires and he can’t help but notice his husband was equally ready by the looks of things.

They playfully roll around naked above the sheets, their skin pressing and sticking to each other, hands exploring aimlessly and spiritedly. They both whispered to each other how much they loved one another.

At some point Alec found himself on his side in a fetal position when he felt Magnus behind him, his chest against his back, a leg swung over, grazing his own and something throbbing nestling itself between his cheeks.

Alec turned his head, moving his arm around to bring Magnus’s face next to his and kissed him.

He moaned loudly into the kiss as he felt a bulbous pressure on his entrance give way to a pop as Magnus breached the rim. Slowly the full length of Magnus slid in, each vein Alec could feel against the inside of him.

Alec arched his back and slowly but forcefully rolled his ass backwards to meet Magnus’ pelvis, desperate to feel his Husband surrounding him. Alec rolled his hips chasing after the feeling he craved so much. Magnus toppled to the side under the force of Alec doing that.

With Magnus on his back Alec used his arms to steady himself as he rhythmically moved himself down hard on Magnus. Concentrating on how his own muscles inside massaged Magnus, keen to make him feel every drop of pleasure he could give him.

Alec leaked impressively like he always did, his hard flesh slapping against both of their thighs, coating it in a slick layer of something delicious and warm.

Magnus lifted himself up slightly and licked up Alec’s back near the top and around his neck as Alec continued.

Alec turned 180 to face Magnus without once moving off him. Magnus flashed a playful grin and flipped them, so Alec was on his back and he was on top.

Alec’s eyes flashed golden as his flexibility rune activated. He took Alec’s legs and placed them with his strong arms either side of his head.

In this position Magnus could now kiss Alec, could run his hands along every part of him, and feel Alec’s own excited member between their abdomens, getting them both messy and slick.

Magnus continued to make love to Alec, giving him that slow fuck that such nights as an anniversary called for.

“You’re there aren't you” Alec recognised the signs of his husband holding back as flashes of red in Magnus’s skin appeared.

Magnus nods, unable to vocalise at this point.

“It’s ok, you can let go” Alec smiled as Magnus placed his forehead against his, trying so hard not to lose it.

“I don’t want this to end,” Magnus admitted, his voice full of sadness as he said that.

“It’s ok baby, it’s ok. I got you” Alec smiled, there were still more hours left in the night if Magnus wanted to keep going, not many more but certainly a few. 

Magnus unleashed a flood inside Alec, who in response was using every muscle he had developed over 800 years to precisely and perfectly ripple and massage every drop to go deeper and deeper inside.

“Alexander” Magnus cries out.

Alec pushes himself up to kiss Magnus and as he does the friction between their stomachs on either side of his own erection sets him off.

Finally when it stops, Magnus flops to the side of Alec.

“800 years and still feels like the first time every time, how do you do that” Alec manages to croak out while catching his breath.

“Magic” Magnus chuckles.

Alec was like jelly on the bed, a content and sated man. Magnus wrapped his arms around the sticky skin, always providing soft gentle kisses on his husband.

The pair spoke at length afterwards, recounting how great the day had been, a touch of sadness for those who were no longer there to share in it, and gratefulness for those in their life now who were.

Based on what Magnus had said earlier about not wanting it to end, Alec had assumed he would have wanted another round by now.

Alec teased him, “Have I finally worn you out?”

Magnus’s eyes were wide, happy tears emerging from the smile, “Do you know why I love doing that to you over and over?”

“Because I am great in bed” Alec sounded proud of himself.

“Well, I guess that’s a part of it,” Magnus admitted, “But it’s _this_, you are perfection in the afterglow of sex. I look at you and I fall deeper in love with you each time, every day. You let go of everything, the world around you, the weight of responsibility you have always shouldered disappears, everything melts away and you’re just this innocent, raw, perfect man. One that lets me look after him, care for him, be his and does the same in return. In over 1600 years of life, I’ve still not found anything as beautiful”

“I love you Alexander” Magnus cries, overwhelmed by the reflection

“I love you too Magnus” Alec wipes away the tear with his thumb

“No, Alexander, I need you to listen to what I’m saying, I love you!” Magnus looks serious as Alec buries himself into his chest, “You weren’t my first love”

“Hey” Alec playfully slaps his thigh.

Magnus chuckles a little but returns to serious confession “You weren’t my first, but you were the _one_ that taught me what love was really about”

Alec nods and smiles, although it somehow hurts to do so as he feels that heavy weight again, “You’re the only one I’ve ever loved, the only one I could ever love”

Magnus brushed aside Alec’s damp hair, “I don’t think there is a version of my life that could have been better, than the one you gave me pup”

Alec felt his eyes well up, “Magnus” he struggled to get out

Magnus sat up in the bed and wiped his own tears, he looked at the hotel door knowingly, “I hoped we’d have had more time”

“What do you mean?” Alec choked out

“You know what I mean darling” Magnus cupped his face and placed a kiss on his forehead, “You’ve known the entire time, even if you don’t want to admit that, you said it yourself, what today has been”

“I don’t want you to go” Alec blubbered, remembering what he said when they had returned to the hotel room.

“Husband, I’m already gone” Magnus turned to hear the door knock.

Alec got up to his feet and ran to Magnus and embraced him, suddenly aware they were fully dressed now, “I’m scared”

Magnus’ face was a stream of tears, and he kept inhaling through his nose as he felt his nose wanting to run. “Please don’t be scared without me”

“It nearly killed me, Izzy, Rafe, Jace, I can’t do it again”

“I know you will be with us again, when it’s your time” Magnus hears the knock again, “I have to answer it baby”

Alec nodded and clenched his mouth, trying not to breakdown.

The door opened and Magnus hugged the person on the other side, giving him a suitcase to carry which seemed to come from nowhere.

Alec moved closer to the door to see who it was. He knew who it was instantly.

He looked like he did at every age, when he was 5, when he was 17, when he first started losing his hair in his late thirties, when he was in his 70s, he looked like all of that but somehow all at the same time.

“Papi” the man called out to Alec

Alec threw his arms around him, sobbing like a child, “You’ll take care of him, won’t you?”

Rafe nodded and Alec hugged him again even harder, “You take care of him, and you be a good boy”

Rafe smiled the entire time, “I’ll see you Papi, you’ll see us both one day I promise”

“Goodbye” Alec sobbed out

“Goodbye Papi” Rafe gave him one last hug, Magnus followed, “Goodbye my darling Husband” the words were like knives in Magnus’s throat

Alec stood frozen, unsure if it was by choice or not as Rafe took Magnus by the hand and left the room and into the corridor out of sight of Alec.

Alec softly opened his eyes, the clock on the bedside drawer said 10:18. He lived for these lazy mornings, when Magnus wouldn’t try to get him up at silly o’clock to do some kind of ‘live for the moment’ activity.

“I just had the strangest dream” Alec cried, hoping for a response but deep down knowing there wouldn’t be one.

There wasn’t the warm embrace he was used to when he woke up, there was a void, an empty sorrow in his very soul. He turned around to face Magnus and shook him to wake him up, knowing it was futile, but he was cold.

“Magnus” Alec whimpered, his voice squeaky and dry.

His skin was paler, and the runes were gone, Alec hadn’t seen his husband without runes for over 800 years.

He stared at his husband, running his fingers through his hair as tears streamed down his face.

From the other side of the room the phone buzzed. Alec snapped his fingers for the phone to switch it off but realised there was no magic left in him, it had gone with Magnus.

Alec shuddered with every breath, placing his head against Magnus’s chest, the chest that no longer bore a wedded union rune, his tears dripping down his cheek, his nose, he wiped them away not wanting them to fall on Magnus’s body.

In the early days, they had been so used to the idea that Alec would be the first to go, with him being mortal that it hadn’t really clicked inside Alec’s head that Magnus might die before him.

He ignored the buzzing from the phone and stayed, clinging onto Magnus’s body  
  


**\---12 days after Magnus’s death---  
**“Maxie” Simon held him tightly, followed by Will.

“Hey” Maxie stuttered out.

“The Epithet is lovely; did you pick it?” Simon placed a supportive hand on his shoulder.

“No, Dad picked it” Maxie admitted, “He picked it centuries ago apparently. I wish _he_ had been able to see it.”

“Yeah Magnus would have like it” Simon agreed, Will placed his head on to his Husband’s shoulder and agreed, “Magnus would have _loved_ it”

Maxie smiled, appreciative of the sentiment from the two of them.

They looked at the ledger stone on the floor, few were buried in the accords hall, so it was unusual to see two in the space of a week.

The first denoted Magnus, the first high warlock of Alicante, the second denoted Alec, his death less than 48 hours after his husbands and of natural causes. It was like Alec couldn’t bear to exist without Magnus and his body just gave up, ready to join his husband wherever that might be.

What was remarkable about Alec’s grave was how plain it was, there was no pompousness to it like most of the others in the hall, it didn’t even use his formal title ‘Consul Emeritus’, even though many Consuls lived after their time in office, Alec held a unique distinction as a ceremonial and advisory position; a grandfather type figure to many Consuls throughout the ages.

No, Alec’s grave was simple but endearing for the powerful Epithet that Alec has chosen.

_Alexander Gideon Lightwood-Bane  
He loved one man so much he changed the world for him_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if you enjoyed this chapter and the whole story. This has been a year of my life, there has been a lot of tears in the creation of these final chapters and I hope I did you all proud. Thank you to everyone who engaged and kept me going on what was the first time I had ever written something, let alone an epic fanfic

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment- this is my first fanfic and comments make my day


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